[Zazie might not be the kind of direct fighter that Wolfwood is, but they sure do know how to exploit his every weakness. It’s hard to fight back against the bugs landing on and latching onto him, grabbing him in places he can’t easily reach with his arms occupied by his guns. It isn’t long though before the pistol goes back to his side in favor of two-handing the Punisher, knowing that the ammo in it isn’t infinite. He’s going to run out eventually, and that will be it. Maybe he’ll have burnt himself out, maybe not.
He’s still shooting regardless. Anything that moves, nothing gets spared when he knows it’s part of Zazie’s collective, all coming at him at once.
And when Zazie finally coalesces in front of him, he levels the Punisher right at their chest, using the heel of his hand to turn the dial at the center, changing the gun’s configuration. Suddenly, the barrel of the machine gun has pulled back, giving way to the laser he used to split the grand worm in half.
That is what he levels at Zazie now, and when he speaks again, it’s through gritted teeth. Every breath he takes is harsh sounding and painful, his knees shaking now from the exertion of standing that he’s been trying to ignore this entire time. The sand isn’t doing him any favors.]
This ain’t about the fuckin’ future!
[It’s…about Vash.
Vash, who doesn’t want anything to do with him now. He won’t speak to him, won’t come near him. He hasn’t even seen him since their fight, and he doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t know what’s going to happen, and that is driving him over the edge more than anything.
He hates, HATES, how vulnerable it makes him feel.]
Everythin’ woulda’ been FINE if you’d stayed gone! We woulda’ been FINE!!!
[ They don't flinch. Why would they. There's enough of them in other places they can reform. It will take a while, sure, but it won't be the end for them. It's never the end for them. So instead they just let that weapon of destruction be aimed, knowing it'll do far more damage to the area behind them and around them, than actually them.
And they tilt their head as Wolfwood finally admits that he doesn't care about the future. Hm? Because- ]
Ohhhh. You think your boyfriend broke up with you!
[ You don't need to say it, Zazie gets it. They can figure it out when they're not pretending. The why makes them shrug, arms moving to rest behind their head, their mask snapping up. ]
Don't ask me, I'm not the one that brought us here. Point the blame at me all you want. Do you really think you two would remain here, idyllic and carefree forever? That Vash wouldn't go back and face down all the things he has to? You should be mad at him, for being so blind in his ways of saving humanity that he'd willingly walk straight into a trap.
[ The bugs on Wolfwood tighten their grip, biting into his hands, while Zazie thinks, scratching the back of their neck gently. ]
You should also be angry at yourself for being so stupid you don't get how Vash really feels. You really think he ran away cause he's angry at you? Do you really know the plant? He's probably somewhere moping, face down in a puddle of his own tears, because he can't comprehend that he failed again.
[ To be fair Zazie doesn't know Vash personally but they've watched. It's hard not to, when that's the very thing they were sent to do. ]
[Wolfwood keeps the smoking barrel of the Punisher trained on the Beast, and though he's shaking uncontrollably, it never wavers. He does not miss. It's the only thing in the world that he's good at. Shooting. Killing. Passing the blame, running from responsibility, trying and trying to make up excuses for why he does the things he does, only to come to the same conclusion every time.
He's a coward. He knows he is. He doesn't like having to live his life like this, struggling. He would give anything to not be that scared kid they scooped up from the orphanage, but to regain his freedom would be to give up everything, and that would be the same as trading his own life away. So he won't. He can't. He grits his teeth and bears it not because he wants to, but because he's been left with no other alternative.
But deep down, he never really got the chance to grow out of being that scared little kid who was never given a choice. He's turned into a petulant excuse for an adult, unable to properly regulate his emotions because he never learned how. He's angry and bitter over things others can't control, he only knows how to cope by lashing out until he burns himself to smoldering ashes.
He's breathing heavily now, not even realizing that he's been crying this entire time. Not openly, but there's wetness on his cheeks now that causes the wind whipping his face to feel even colder and more unforgiving than normal. And the unfortunate truth is that Zazie has been watching over him for many, many years. He's seen how Wolfwood acts and knows every last tick he has, all of his most intimate struggles and the things that truly upset him. They're hitting every single one, digging their claws in and flaying him open bare for the world to see in the same sort of cruel fascination of a child focusing the light of the sun on ants through a magnifying glass.
He has no rebuttal. No response, knowing that Zazie has said nothing so far that isn't true.
Instead, he just revs the gun, and fires a laser at Zazie point-blank. It will light up the entire beachfront in a massive blue glow for a few seconds before dissipating over the distant water.]
[ The tears are fascinating. Of course Zazie has seen humans cry for many reasons. Anger, pain, joy, frustration. Which one is these? Anger seems too on the nose. Frustration? A little bit of everything? They tilt their head like a curious dog, as if waiting for Wolfwood to dispute their claims.
But of course he can't. Because Zazie isn't wrong.
The gun revving is the only warning Zazie gets and though they quickly disperse, the laser still vaporizes quite a few of them. Point blank and the weapon doesn't need that much of a rev up.
There's an angry pained buzzing from the ones that escape and they quickly head in every which direction, Zazies voice fading with them. There's definitely a pout there. ]
Spoilsport.
[ And then Wolfwood will be left alone, not a bug - not even the local ones - remaining with him. They have to heal, regroup, repopulate. Away from the Punisher. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-06-27 03:31 am (UTC)He’s still shooting regardless. Anything that moves, nothing gets spared when he knows it’s part of Zazie’s collective, all coming at him at once.
And when Zazie finally coalesces in front of him, he levels the Punisher right at their chest, using the heel of his hand to turn the dial at the center, changing the gun’s configuration. Suddenly, the barrel of the machine gun has pulled back, giving way to the laser he used to split the grand worm in half.
That is what he levels at Zazie now, and when he speaks again, it’s through gritted teeth. Every breath he takes is harsh sounding and painful, his knees shaking now from the exertion of standing that he’s been trying to ignore this entire time. The sand isn’t doing him any favors.]
This ain’t about the fuckin’ future!
[It’s…about Vash.
Vash, who doesn’t want anything to do with him now. He won’t speak to him, won’t come near him. He hasn’t even seen him since their fight, and he doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t know what’s going to happen, and that is driving him over the edge more than anything.
He hates, HATES, how vulnerable it makes him feel.]
Everythin’ woulda’ been FINE if you’d stayed gone! We woulda’ been FINE!!!
Why?!
no subject
Date: 2024-06-27 03:50 am (UTC)And they tilt their head as Wolfwood finally admits that he doesn't care about the future. Hm? Because- ]
Ohhhh. You think your boyfriend broke up with you!
[ You don't need to say it, Zazie gets it. They can figure it out when they're not pretending. The why makes them shrug, arms moving to rest behind their head, their mask snapping up. ]
Don't ask me, I'm not the one that brought us here. Point the blame at me all you want. Do you really think you two would remain here, idyllic and carefree forever? That Vash wouldn't go back and face down all the things he has to? You should be mad at him, for being so blind in his ways of saving humanity that he'd willingly walk straight into a trap.
[ The bugs on Wolfwood tighten their grip, biting into his hands, while Zazie thinks, scratching the back of their neck gently. ]
You should also be angry at yourself for being so stupid you don't get how Vash really feels. You really think he ran away cause he's angry at you? Do you really know the plant? He's probably somewhere moping, face down in a puddle of his own tears, because he can't comprehend that he failed again.
[ To be fair Zazie doesn't know Vash personally but they've watched. It's hard not to, when that's the very thing they were sent to do. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-27 11:12 pm (UTC)He's a coward. He knows he is. He doesn't like having to live his life like this, struggling. He would give anything to not be that scared kid they scooped up from the orphanage, but to regain his freedom would be to give up everything, and that would be the same as trading his own life away. So he won't. He can't. He grits his teeth and bears it not because he wants to, but because he's been left with no other alternative.
But deep down, he never really got the chance to grow out of being that scared little kid who was never given a choice. He's turned into a petulant excuse for an adult, unable to properly regulate his emotions because he never learned how. He's angry and bitter over things others can't control, he only knows how to cope by lashing out until he burns himself to smoldering ashes.
He's breathing heavily now, not even realizing that he's been crying this entire time. Not openly, but there's wetness on his cheeks now that causes the wind whipping his face to feel even colder and more unforgiving than normal. And the unfortunate truth is that Zazie has been watching over him for many, many years. He's seen how Wolfwood acts and knows every last tick he has, all of his most intimate struggles and the things that truly upset him. They're hitting every single one, digging their claws in and flaying him open bare for the world to see in the same sort of cruel fascination of a child focusing the light of the sun on ants through a magnifying glass.
He has no rebuttal. No response, knowing that Zazie has said nothing so far that isn't true.
Instead, he just revs the gun, and fires a laser at Zazie point-blank. It will light up the entire beachfront in a massive blue glow for a few seconds before dissipating over the distant water.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-27 11:37 pm (UTC)But of course he can't. Because Zazie isn't wrong.
The gun revving is the only warning Zazie gets and though they quickly disperse, the laser still vaporizes quite a few of them. Point blank and the weapon doesn't need that much of a rev up.
There's an angry pained buzzing from the ones that escape and they quickly head in every which direction, Zazies voice fading with them. There's definitely a pout there. ]
Spoilsport.
[ And then Wolfwood will be left alone, not a bug - not even the local ones - remaining with him. They have to heal, regroup, repopulate. Away from the Punisher. ]