savetheearth | closed;

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who: Owen and Ken
where: some sketchy part of town they ended up at
when: fowarded to late Friday night
what: Owen and Ken meet up and started walking together! unfortunately, they run into the wrong person at the wrong time and this wrong person has a gun and he wanted to mug them. or something.
warnings: guns! violence, and injury!

[It was a simple fact of the matter tat Ken sometimes left his house after nine in the evening and walked around town. He's been doing less of it recently since the Numbers business worried his dad, but this weekend he has an Important Appointment with somebody important, and he's honestly nervous. Instead of wringing his hands at home, he decided a walk wold calm him down the best.

He wasn't expecting to run into the guy with the Hero exclamations and the definitely illegal sword from Toothpick day on his trek out, but it's outside some 24-hour store when he walked out with some food that he almost accidentally bumps into him (again). It's hard to forget someone you met in that way and so they ended up talking and walking, making small talk. It's a little too late by the time they realize they're in a part of town they probably shouldn't have been, but for now, Ken's totally unaware, offering Owen some of the chips he procured earlier.]

Here. Do you want some?

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Oh! Yeah, thanks!

[He stuffs a few in his unending maw, chewing and thinking like a cow as he looks around. It WAS getting kinda late... he should be a good influence. Being older and all that]

Hey, you want me to walk you home?

[It's that time of night when even on the longest days of summer, the sun's already gone below the horizon and the sky is dark. The streets are only lit up by that color-draining orange of the streetlights, and Ken peers up at his sort-of-friend companion at the offer.]

Well, it is late... but are you sure? I don't want to cause you any trouble if we live in opposite directions or anything.

I don't mind! With how things have been going on, we probably shouldn't be alone after dark anyways. If it's too far I can just call my aunt.

[He offered the younger boy a bright grin. When he WASN'T yelling silliness he seemed to be a perfectly reasonable fella. Sometimes.]

[Bright enough to light up the night. It's really weird to experience people being nice to him, especially older people -- it makes him wonder if it was just weird for his older step- and half-siblings to have been so dismissive of him when he still tried to talk to them. Either way, it makes him flush and he takes one larger step forward to hide his embarrassment. ]

I'll be able to take care of myself, you know! You saw that -- but. Thanks. I live down this--

[... Which way does he live? He blinks, realizing it's a street he's not all too familiar with at this time of the night, and looks around trying to find a street sign or something he recognizes.] Um. I think... it's this way.

I know, I know! But this way it's less lone- wait, what?

[He looks around too, confused. He's only lived in Locke for a few months after all, and usually only went a few places.]

Y-you... don't know where we are?

[!!! He shakes his head. No, that's not it!]

It didn't feel weird walking to here... so I think I've been here before. It's just darker -- I think I'll be able to recognize things by the street signs, though.

Sorry, um, I think it's this way. [He starts marching forward, determined not to betray his nervousness.]

[Owen bites his lip in worry, but nods and follows, trusting Ken to know where he's going.]

I probably WILL call my aunt once we get there. Heh. [A small laugh, trying to lighten the mood will mixed effect]

It's not like I need the exercise, after all!

[He takes out his phone, playing with the buttons, the blue light mixing with the street lights in an eerie glow]

Ugh, I need a new phone. I'm almost outta battery already.

[He breathes quietly through his mouth. He feels bad; he didn't mean to get them lost; he especially didn't mean to get Owen lost. He needs to find their way back, and he can offer him a phone charger, maybe even a ride home if Dad is home. Will his dad be upset? He's used to Ken going out at night by now, probably, but he'll probably be mad that he got someone else dragged into it. He needs to get him home...]

I can probably lend you a charger. It's just the standard cord, right?

[He's starting to recognize some of the storefronts, even though they're all dark and closed. Sighing in relief, he tears his eyes away from their surroundings for just a moment to look at Owen -- then stops in his tracks when he hears something from behind them. It sounds like a footstep that wasn't there before.]

Yeah, that should wor...

[He hears the sound too, stiffening up. His hand moves to his hip- and of course there's nothing there. His echo'd instincts meant little in a world where he couldn't openly carry steel. He didn't even have his dufflebag this time. After all, he had just been going for a walk.]

Hey Ken, that's it over there, right?

[Of course he was just pointing at some random area. Maybe he was being silly, but the tiny part that was Owain was warning him that ill intent was near by.]

[He doesn't dare move his own hand to his Evoker, hidden away under his jacket. He forces himself to breathe and plasters a strained smile on his face as he nods to Owen's question.]

Y... yeah. I think it is. Let's go.

[Fake though it may be, a gun was a gun. He has no idea who's behind them, but he doesn't want to make matters worse by pulling a weapon. He raises a hand to Owen's elbow to move them forward.]

[He nods and follows, fighting to keep his stride steady so not to accidentally outpace the smaller boy in his panic]

I'll go ahead and call my aunt now, so she can meet us there.

[He lifts his phone... only to see darkness on the screen. It died while he wasn't paying attention.]

Schiesse...

[He doesn't understand that word, but he can tell it's something not good. With a nervous glance at Owen, he's about to point them around a corner when a hand grabs him, large and grip tight on his hood, and yanks him back!]

[Owen yelps in shock, trying to grab Ken back. But he's too late, and instead spins around to confront the attacker, terror stark on his face]

Ken!

[Ken is, honestly, frozen up in shock. He's faced the Snake. He's almost been crushed by a building. He's been attacked by toothpicks. But this is honestly and terrifying different and way too... ordinary, compared to everything he's gotten attacked by. He's really only being held by the back of his collar, but there's a gun in this attacker's hand and unlike his this one is real, and this one can kill. The guy is ignoring Ken to talk instead to Owen though, and he's demanding money. Leave your wallet or the kid gets it.]

[Owen's feelings echo Ken's by quite a bit. This is just too *mundane* after everything else. He should KNOW better to let this happen, let alone let Ken get in trouble under his watch. He raises his hands in surrender, eyes huge and inching on frustrated tears. IF ONLY HE HAD BROUGHT HIS SWORD.

...not that he's sure he could attack a normal person, even one with a gun.]

O-okay man, calm down...

[One hand goes down to get his wallet- he has more then your average 15 year old, but certainly no more then 30 in grubby tens and ones]

[This won't end well. This can't end well. There's no way there will be a good end to this situation if he doesn't do something. If Owen hands this man his wallet--]

No... no! [He moves, struggling, but he can't do anything about an adult man standing behind him. The guy pulls him back sharply and he nearly chokes on his own jacket, and that halts his movements long enough for his captor to tighten his grip, this time actually gripping him by his neck.

Hand over the money.]

[Ken's panic just feeds into his own, and his attempt to escape- and failure, make Owen snap. Maybe the idea that he could fight monsters and not this does it. Maybe he isn't thinking at all.

But with a grunt he takes advantage of what he hopes is enough distraction from Ken's struggle to charge- depending, foolishly, on his own echo induced reflexes to win out.]

[Muggers like this don't think things out and this one isn't prepared for Owen to suddenly take the offense. He stumbles back, dragging Ken with him, and his retreat is interrupted by Ken tripping over is own feet and falling over. The guy panics, too, and he raises the arm with the gun without thinking -- and fires.]

[He... doesn't realize what happened at first, assuming the mugger somehow punched him. Knocked the air right out of him. It doesn't hurt.

It does stop him in his tracks though, and Owen blinks in idiot confusion-

-before hitting his knees]

...wha?

[Ken's eyes are glued on Owen, his understanding of the situation as slow as the other boy's as he watches Owen stop and fall to is knees. What had happened? He fought, and there was an explosion, and there was--

Is that blood?]

... Owen?

[He wonders if time stopped. But it clearly hasn't, because the mugger is breathing harshly and angrily and raising his gun again to fire.]

[His mind is erratic, and the thoughts shockingly mundane. In fact, all he thinks of it all the *fiction* he's read. Crime novels aren't his thing that was always dad's he thinks frantically, he loved those boring things it was so dumb but anything with a villain... if things go wrong there can't be witnesses.

He's hurt, badly, but it couldn't be that bad he's sure it'd HURT more, right? So with a snarl he launches again from his kneeling position. Like this he was at just the right height to barrel into the stranger's waist, shoving Ken aside with a adrenaline induced strength.

Still, he can't dodge bullets. He kinda wishes Owain came from a more modern setting.]

[The gun is fired again, but before Ken can react to the second shot he's being thrown aside, landing on the ground with a grunt.

But it's not safe. It's not okay yet. Owen is hurt--]

Owen!

[He scrambles to get to his feet, eyes darting quickly between his friend and the attacker. Please please please don't be dead.]

[He can't move, he realizes with a shock. And with the realization finally comes the pain.

Perhaps panicked by the fact that the kid is bleeding on HIM now, the attacker shoves his way free, bolting into the night, leaving Owen to wheeze on the ground]

Mother...fucker...

[No, no, no. Some part of Ken's mind screams to cast Zionga, to bring upon that bastard what he has coming. For hurting someone, for hurting Owen, that guy has to hurt. He's dangerous. He's terrible. He needs to, he needs to--

He tears himself away from those thoughts and scrambles to Owen instead, shaking hands reaching out to try and turn him on his back so he can breathe.]

Owen, Owen, where are you hurt?

[The first shot wasn't pleasant, surely. Hit somewhere high and to the left. Probably broke something in his shoulder-collar area. Bad, but could be dealt with.

The second shot was lower, but still to the left. A small hole oozing red just like the other. At first glace it doesn't even look that bad.

Well, except the blood keeps bubbling and *frothing* with each wheeze. His thick hoodie hides anything that might be ruined under it. The hole makes *noise*.]

...'m alright. You should... get your dad...

[He shouldn't be talking, he can feel that. But words are Owen's life, his lively hood, his proof of existence. Even if each one feels like razor blades coming up he can't stop. They paint his teeth red]

[He's never heard blood move like that. He's never seen blood like that, not even in the movies. Movies don't show things like that -- at least not the ones his dad let him. He can smell the gunpowder and the blood and his stomach ties itself into a knot and he thinks he's going to be sick. His hands are wet and stained red from when he touched Owen.]

Hold-- hold on.

[Diarama. Diarama. He scrambles, hands fumbling, to take his Evoker out, the steel glinting in the light as he raises it to his head.]

I can help you.

[He thinks. Please let it work. It's got to work, right?]

[Gun? Gun?! Owen wants to panic, grab the kid- he hadn't seen the Envoker when they fought together before. But no matter how much he wills himself to reach over and stop him, just just can't. He's too heavy.]

Ken...

You can't talk. [He shakes his head and presses the Evoker to his forehead and pulls the trigger.

But there's no blood or death. There's the shattering sound of glass and the only thing to explode is glowing, blue light. A monster appears, towering over them, and Ken takes a breath.]

Nemesis!

[Diarama. It's not an immediate magic like Zionga, but he watches closely for the injury to heal, prepared to cast the spell again.]

[Oh, he recognizes that thing. Is he going to electrocute him? His thoughts form and break apart as quickly as they come. He almost wants to laugh at the image, but all that comes out is a grunt. His heart hasn't stopped Ken, don't do that...

But then there's a warmth, and suddenly his weak grunts do manage to become harsh short barks of laughter. Oh, that was easier wasn't it?]

[Oh good. Oh good. It's working. But is it enough? He can't tell through all the blood. It's getting all over his sleeves as he touches Owen's shirt gingerly, trying to see if there's any open wounds, but he doesn't care about that and he's lifting the Evoker to his head again, giving Diarama another shot.

It totally wipes him out. He wonders for a second if it's taking energy or life forces from him -- but it can take it for all he cares if that's what it's doing.]

I'm not gonna let you die... [Not another one. Never another one, not even without the face of some man he doesn't even like smiling at him from under a beanie as he collapses in a puddle of his own blood in a green-lit alleyway flickering in his head and he thinks he's going to be sick.] I'm not gonna let you die, Owen.

[The wounds close: Owen can *feel* that, and it's creepy as all hell. But he ignores the crawly growing sensation, instead reaching up-

-and ruffling Ken's hair. He doesn't realize he's rubbing blood in there, oops.]

Hey... it's okay. Remember, I look too good to die.

[The joke, lame as it was, was spoken with a soft concerned tone.]

I'm alright... you're alright. He's gone. You can stop... you did good.

[He doesn't care about the blood in his hair. He doesn't feel as much comfort from the hand as much as he's just relieved that Owen is breathing again. He's alive. He's going to live. He said he's all right, and he's going to live. He didn't get him killed.

Owen blurs in his eyes as they well up with tears. He's alive. He's alive and he drops his Evoker as he slumps forward, ready to fall down crying but keeping himself up as best as he can. It takes a moment, and it's after a sob, but he raises his hands again to help Owen up, hoping that he'll be okay. He doesn't care if that then gets the blood all over the front of his clothes.]

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[Owen let's Ken help him to sit up, wincing slightly but trying his best to hide it.

Once he's up enough he doesn't hesitate, pulling the kid into a near crushing hug. Even though it hurts. A lot. Maybe even more then the original shot did]

Th-that was pretty scary, huh?

Are you okay? Are you really okay? [He's grasping Owen's shirt and doing his best to raise his head to look at him even if his face is totally wet and dirty now.]

I can heal you more. I'll call my dad. Or you can use my phone to call your aunt. Or the hospital -- are you okay?

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