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duelwield

✖

CHARACTER NAME

Yzak Jule

CIVILIAN NAME

Andreas Vesalius

TEAM

Revelation

HOUSING NUMBER

011

❤

Comments

Text; un: busternaut

[busternaut]

Hey check this out

[coordination]

[ .... why,,, ]

That's almost too eerily accurate.

[ Winking AND giving a thumbs up? Why didn't Dearka just send a selfie, it would have been the same thing. ]

Throughout the Oct. 2024 event

[busternaut]

[Similarly, Dearka has also been trying and failing to send messages to Yzak.]

Morning, Oct. 7th

[busternaut]

[The first few backlogged messages tell the story of someone baffled by the sudden failure of technology, trying to brute-force it back into working. There's a first attempt, from when Dearka first wakes up to see Yzak is already out of the room. Twice he tries to send it:]

You get up for an early morning jog or something?

You get up for an early morning jog or something?

Morning, Oct. 7th (con't)

[busternaut]

[When that initial message doesn't work, he tries a few more times.]

The hell is wrong with this thing?

Testing

Testing

Testing

Guess I shouldn't be surprised the reception is shit out here

If you get this you better contact me right away, OK?

Late morning/Early afternoon, Oct. 7th

[busternaut]

[By the time the afternoon approaches, it's blatantly clear that something has happened to the missing Outsiders.

Trying to keep his cool, Dearka sends two more desperate but ultimately futile messages:]

You'd better be alright old man

Fucking.... Answer me. Please.

Oct. 7th, evening

[busternaut]

[The scariest thing about this is the fact that he can still message other outsiders. The reception is weak, and sometimes it takes a few tries to get through, but he CAN still contact them.

What does that mean for the missing people, then? Are they unconscious? Somewhere utterly without reception? Maybe they've had their oculars... Damaged, or removed somehow?? Or worse...

...

He's not used to all this uncertainty and anxiety. It's not the same as being in battle, either in a command position or being out there in the thick of it himself. This is a different kind of stress, a different flavor.]

I'm just gonna keep trying periodically until you answer, or we find you. Whichever comes first.

Lucy and Ereshkigal are also both missing. And a whole bunch of others as well.

I guess I should probably try them too.

Just so you know the only two ways you're allowed to die are either on the battlefield or in your sleep at age 200, and if you go out any other way I'm going to be PISSED.

Oct. 8th-9th

[busternaut]

[The 8th through the 9th, Dearka sends messages every few hours, but they aren't particularly interesting in content; usually just 'Yzak?' or 'test', just to see if anything goes through.

Nothing ever does.

Beyond that, he's largely focusing on the search... And growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of results.]

Still oct. 7-9, at some point

[busternaut]

[at some point in the usual periodic attempts, he loses it a bit and has to let himself be a little silly, just for a second:]

you should know the only reason you're not getting a goddamn hyena from me every 20 minutes is because i'm pretty sure pictures have less of a chance of going through than text

Oct. 10th

[busternaut]

man i really fucked up today

embarrassed myself in front of miss lacus

i think she's really disappointed

you need to hurry up and let me know you're okay already because i'm stressed out and it's really fucking up the cool and suave image i've managed to cultivate around this team

Oct. 12th (in the right place this time)

[busternaut]

[by the 12th, it's been 6 whole days since an entire third of their group went missing, and the remainder are no closer to figuring out where the hell they are than they were at the start.

that night, after skimming through some of their older conversations, Dearka breaks and tries to send a single hyena.]



[...there's a realization that only hits him after he hits send, and the sticker comes up with the little 'failed' marker next to it. It's the same as with every other message he's tried to get through since Yzak first disappeared... But this one comes with a moment of clear and painful understanding, struck dumb by just how sincere and accurate that single stupid, cutesy image is.

Those hyenas have always been kind of a silly joke. Semi-ironic, something playful Dearka uses to tease Yzak with... Now the weight of their separation, of the possibility that he might not ever send one of those stupid little stickers to his best friend ever again, hits him like a ton of bricks.

He's so agitated by this, he barely sleeps for the rest of the night.]

Oct. 13th

[busternaut]

[after the four messages from missing outsiders make it through:]

we're breaking skulls and doing everything we can to get to you guys as fast as possible

i noticed none of the messages that got through had your handle, though

you'd better still be alive, you bastard

@bustermove (Nov., during the mid-month mingle)

[busternaut]

hey uh

i know telling you this probably means you're gonna just do the opposite, but

do yourself a favor and maybe don't look at the Outsider group chat for a bit, ok?

@duelwield

[coordination]

[ Why does this bode so ominous............... ]

[ Dearka is clearly saying this for a reason. ]

[ Sounds like he's trying... to help?? Yzak here??? From getting pissed off about something? ]

[ And yet reading this text has caused a bone-deep irritation in him and he doesn't know why. ]









Explain.

Delivery, Forward Dated to 12/25

[harboredfeelings]

[ The early morning of the 25th there's no sound of sleigh bells, instead there's the sound of rotors humming in the halls of the base. Why wonder around the base with a sack and a ridiculous outfit when Kaga can just send out her little helicopters to do the job, using their rescue winches to transport the packages to their recipients.

For Yzak, blue wrapping paper tied with silver ribbon containing;
One (1) Book titled Kojiki, a collection of stories holding historical, religious, and folkloric significance for islands of Japan.
One (1) box of handmade daifuku in various seasonally appropriate colors.
One (1) pair of comfortable slippers shaped like Kyushu Shindens...? The propeller on the backs of them actually rotates easily, serving as a perfect object to fidget with while idling around on lazy days.

And a note! Penned in the exact kind of handwriting you'd probably expect from a perfectionist warrior. IE, almost unnaturally nice. ]

Captain,

Hope your recovery is still going well. Get the most out of the rest while you can, I intend to see what you're capable of next mission. Perhaps we can make some friendly competition out of it?

Enjoy what's left of the holidays,

Kaga.

P.S. I need to figure out what your damn name is one of these days.

12/22, text @kijyo

[saudadist]

I'm sorry

for running my mouth, I mean



you don't have to respond to this but I needed to say it anyway

[coordination]

[ It's a surprising message to get - probably not as surprising to him compared to Dearka though since he yell-and-flounced.

But despite the loud mouth and short temper and all his cranky old man bluster, there's still one thing about Yzak... ]

You stopped, didn't you? That was apology enough for me.

So it's fine.

[ ... and that's that he truly is that easy when it comes to shit like this. ]

25th December

[queenofkur]

[ A wrapped package can be found at Yzak's door after the Christmas Party. Unwrapping it reveals a pair of stress balls. They're golden. He shouldn't question it.

There is a message with the gift, written on a Christmas postcard: ]

Dear Yzak,

I know you sometimes have difficulties with your nerves - I am acutely aware of how hard it is to deal with stress issues myself! Those balls are designed to let you focus your anger without bruising anyone's feelings. Please let me know if they helped.

Merry Christmas!
-- Ereshkigal, Goddess of Death and Queen of Kûr

Delivery! 12/25/78

[saudadist]

[ On Christmas morning, a plain brown box sits outside Yzak's room. Inside it are three gifts! One (1) voucher for anger management, one (1) voucher for a new haircut at a local hair salon, and one (1) box of stool softener.

There are no names attached for him to deduce the culprit. ]

[coordination]

[ The culprit will be aware her gift was received though, as a loud, booming voice echoes through the entirety of the base. ]

WHAT KIND OF GIFT IS THIS?!

🎁 delivery, 12/25

[wheft]

[ ngl, it's also hard figuring out a gift for yzak too. but ishmael apparently has a knack of coming up with gifts for other people from mere small talk, and so --

yzak will come across a nicely wrapped present among his other gifts on christmas day, containing a water lamp.

With this, you won't have to go underwater to experience what it's like down there.

Happy holidays. - Ishmael ]

12/25

[30storieshigh]

[ Added to the pile of gifts for Yzak is the following, neatly wrapped and tied off with ribbon

One (1) book: The Couple's book. But written for more than just she/he's. It's an all inclusive edition!
One (1) voucher for a class on meditation
And an entire dead fish. Just plopped on top of it all. With a bow around it.

There's... no tags?! No sign of who left it?! Fate has conspired and either the tag fell off or Goji forgot. Whoops. ]

DELIVERY 12/31

[stonehearts]

( Inside a very fancy package in Aventurine's signature colors is a bottle of high quality lube, a small brochure on safe anal sex a raffle ticket for a dinner cruise. If Yzak bothers to check, he'll find that it is, in fact, the winning ticket. )

Mister Yzak,
Do enjoy yourself, and please pass on my well wishes for the New Year onto Mister Dearka.
- Aventurine of Stratagems

late gift delivery! Can be backdated to like more around New Years or something haha

[lunarchivist]

[There is a small box wrapped in paper made to mimic the starry night sky. Or a galaxy. It’s set in front of your door, whenever you may pass through. Inside is a little tea set! With two cups specifically; they're a simple dark color with gold running through them in kitsurugi style. And some teas (which are helpful for calming nerves or throat pain or whatever).

There’s also a small note written in very careful, meticulous calligraphy.]

Happy winter holidays, Lieutenant Colonel Yzak.
I meant to have this delivered earlier, but I seem to have lost track of time. ((read: winter keeps knocking him out and IRL holidays were insanely busy)) but I hope you are well. Thank you for lending us your strength and leadership.

- Dan Heng

advance nsfw warning 🍆💦

[coordination]

[ from here ]

[ Once they are out of there, leaving the festive decor, jolly music and hum of voices for the quiet and the bare, sterile walls of the base, much of the tension leaves Yzak now that he's not on high alert. ]

I feel bad for Ereshkigal's plans going south, but damn, am I glad to be out of there.

[ He runs a hand up through his hair and lets out a breath. ]

[busternaut]

[Dearka shrugs from where he's sauntering along: at Yzak's side, just as expected.]

Eh... I'm sure she'll be fine. It's not like everyone else is bailing.

[He glances over, smirking playfully.]

More to the point, the night's still pretty young... You're not seriously going to head back to your quarters and put on your nightcap already, are you? Maybe we can find another party out in the city somewhere...

Some time during the March TDM/Awaji Island mission

[busternaut]

[A small scene for flavor:

They might be out fighting these ants on different parts of the island when this happens, but it's just a given part of their working synergy that Yzak is provided with frequent status updates from wherever Dearka happens to be operating independently. They keep in touch on these things, stay in communication and watch each other's backs, even when they're not literally fighting side by side.

That's why right after this happens, Yzak gets a message in the clipped, very serious and very focused manner of typing that Dearka only ever uses when he's on the job and really in the zone:]

SOS received from kuzunoha14

Got a bad feeling about this. Heading to investigate.

Coordinates [xx, yy]

[coordination]

[ And even despite the distance between them on this island, Yzak knows that if one of them needs the other, they can gun it and be somewhere in a matter of minutes. Which is in part whey they split up, because these ants, while dangerous if allowed to swarm in numbers, can be taken out easily enough by a mobile suit. It makes sense to cover more ground separately and finish the job quicker - the danger level decidedly low where the two of them are concerned.

As for the others...

Well, that's the assumption when he gets the message. That someone's unluckily stumbled across too many of them and couldn't take them all out in time. ]

From Raidou?

[ He knows that username. He also knows, after a recent exchange with the guy, that he's really god damned stubbornly opposed when it comes to taking care of himself. So it's just as concerning to Yzak to get this message - especially if Raidou is asking for help which he seems to never want to do. (why are so many people on this team LIKE THIS,) Dread creeps up inside of him while he checks those coordinates. It's close.

Hopefully close enough. ]

Focus on getting to him. I'll check the perimeter and clear any obstructions, barring the need for further backup.

[ Because he knows Dearka will keep him updated, one way or the other. ]

Backdated to the day Tary's network post about Eresh goes up

[busternaut]

[Were they all still in Alexandria when that announcement happened? That seems like the most likely timing but, who the fuck knows, really.

Let's just assume that, and then if it's wrong, whatever! The actual location doesn't really matter all that much. What's important is that as soon as Dearka gets over the initial grief-laden punch to the gut that was Taryon's announcement, he goes and finds Yzak. Because however bad he's feeling about this, he imagines his partner's probably feeling even worse.

It's not the first time the two of them have had to navigate loss together, and it almost certainly won't be the last. Dearka opens the door to their shared hotel room and enters with a somber look on his face, unsure what he's going to find inside but... Prepared to deal, whatever it may be.]

[coordination]

[ Yzak is currently in that place where the blow of the news has already done its worst. And now he's in the process of clawing his way out of it, driven by the refusal to just accept that she's gone.

So when Dearka arrives, he's ... not in too bad a state. That's because he immediately thinks of what he discovered in Alexandria's muddled files and he latches onto the idea with the hope he forces himself to have.

He takes a moment to respond to hearing the door open, his eyes flashing as he uses his ocular device to begin reviewing that information and taking notes. Once he's finished with whatever he was in the middle of typing up, he turns his head to Dearka. ]

Hey.