those bells are ringing | caustic

[Ivan]

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pixel by tricky

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[div style="width: 300px; max-height: 100px; height: overflow; overflow: scroll; padding-bottom: 5px; margin-top: -5px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #152232; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;"]He kept fancying that Ivan was absorbed in something — something inward and important — that he was striving toward some goal, perhaps very hard to attain.

— Бра́тья Карама́зовы

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Within two weeks he had lost nearly half his family.

It was the last foundation that he could grasp, his family. It was the one blessing he had to enjoy after every torture he put his mind to. And even that was ripped away from him. Ivan simply was at a loss for how to react.

It truly felt like a stab in the back, by all his theories and philosophies. He was beginning to bore himself with the day-to-day duties, but when he said he wanted a passionate experience of life, he was not expecting this. No, quite the contrary. And he could not even reconcile that his mother was safe now in another life, that this all aligned with a creator's plan. It only sedimented his fury and self-centered view.

In this time of confusion, he strangely enough found himself gravitating to Caustic. With the nuclear family in shambles, Ivan was only gasping at the surface of a vast ocean. He told himself that he was going to the wolf's house, because he meant to all those days ago when Caustic's lab exploded. But he knew that to not be the case, because he had watched the spat between the doctor and Alaric with wide eyes, not quite fearful, but certainly distressed. Ivan wouldn't risk his life to attempt more interaction so soon. Instead the young cat busied himself with training the eaglet and spending time with his father, but now there was no normal. The bird was missing and if Ivan had fear of his father before, now was the time it ought to intensify.

That was why he limped up to Caustic's home and rapped his paw against the door.

[member=10990]CAUSTIC.[/member]

[CAUSTIC.]

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DR. CAUSTIC

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[REDACTED]
TOXIC TRAPPER
MACKENZIE VALLEY WOLF
TANGLEWOOD
"Humanity. It's just a word."

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Caustic was still clearing out the debris from the lab. It was an arduous task that Octavio had helped him with in the cheetah's time here. He was sleeping at the moment, passed out in Caustic's bed with his legs detached on the floor. Caustic had cleared out all the animal remains days ago, but the horrible smell of burned blood and fur hung in the air. What was left of the portal device laid on his workbench, under a white sheet like a corpse.
He's coming up the stairs when he hears the knocking, a bucket of parts in his jaws. It was all junk now and Caustic wasn't sure what to do with them. His green eyes glance to the sprouts on the windowsill.
He wasn't sure what to do with anything.
Caustic puts the bucket down as he hears the knocking, "Hold on," he coughes, approaching the door and pulling down the lever with a paw to open it. He pulls the door open, looking down at Selby's son.
"Ivan. What can I do for you?" He sidesteps, revealing Caustic's home. Should he let him in? He looks out, then sighs, "Come in, if you want." The scientist's home is very plain. There's no obvious sign that Caustic even lived here, minus his fur shedded everywhere and Octavio's things on the couch. He hadn't cleaned lately at all, so there was clutter and things were still knocked over from the tremors. "I apologize for the mess... It's been difficult to clean." He didn't have the energy for it. Couldn't explain why. He sighs, letting Ivan inside and shutting the door behind him.
"I... heard about your mother. I'm sorry."

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Original code by lexasperated / artwork by @R_HillPrime

[Ivan]

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pixel by tricky

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[div style="width: 300px; max-height: 100px; height: overflow; overflow: scroll; padding-bottom: 5px; margin-top: -5px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #152232; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;"]He kept fancying that Ivan was absorbed in something — something inward and important — that he was striving toward some goal, perhaps very hard to attain.

— Бра́тья Карама́зовы

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Caustic's home reminds Ivan of his own space. His eyes tear up and he stubbornly blinks them away. Well, former space. He did not have a lot of possessions either. The young cat is hesitant as Caustic invites him in, and quickly steps through the doorway, calming down his ruffled hackles.

"It's fine." Responded Ivan as his ears aligned forward and raised his nose.

He realizes that Caustic does not exactly treat him as a child. Nobody should really care for the opinions of a child, they were usually fickle and unsubstantial. Ivan used to think he was above that, but now he just felt scared and alone. Or maybe the doctor just always treats everyone like this. He doesn't know. And at this point, he doesn't care.

Then the apology about his family, and Ivan fights valiantly against the rising surge of emotion welling up in his chest. Who knew grief could be so exhausting? He felt physically drained every time his mother was mentioned. It was like he wanted to cry, but just could not find the strength to do so.

"It's fine," He usually doesn't like repeating himself, but he doesn't even notice that he did. "but I ... I don't want to talk about it." He shook himself and gave him a moment to recollect. He felt a little better with Caustic. "I wanted to see how you were doing after the explosion. What ... What happened?" 'You seemed awfully distraught,' But he kept that for himself.

[CAUSTIC.]

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DR. CAUSTIC

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[REDACTED]
TOXIC TRAPPER
MACKENZIE VALLEY WOLF
TANGLEWOOD
"Humanity. It's just a word."

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Alexander Nox cannot ignore the intrinsic soft spot he has for brilliant minds. This took root in many manners of his relationships- how Luc was an engineer, his daughter equally brilliant. He considered both Alaric and Isaac as acquaintances for their own intellects. Now, Ivan had taken a liking to him in the same manner.
He's cautious- he doesn't want to overstep his boundaries with Selby but also acknowledges that Ivan is hurting and needs a friend. Caustic tilts his head to the side at the boy's remarks. "Well, if you do, I'm here," he can't relate to losing a parent like that. The Nox family did not suffer in that way.

Caustic sighs as the lab is brought up, his shoulders slumping at the thought of his basement below. "A... mistake in the experiment. It exploded," he wonders how much Ivan will pester about it.

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Original code by lexasperated / artwork by @R_HillPrime

[Ivan]

[table][tr][td]

pixel by tricky

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[div style="width: 300px; max-height: 100px; height: overflow; overflow: scroll; padding-bottom: 5px; margin-top: -5px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #152232; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;"]He kept fancying that Ivan was absorbed in something — something inward and important — that he was striving toward some goal, perhaps very hard to attain.

— Бра́тья Карама́зовы

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It happens. He can tell that Caustic isn't quite familiar with his plight, but Ivan knows that he is practically destined to be a black sheep. It's nothing new. But for all Caustic's done for him, Ivan's not quite ready to see him on par as his father. He can't even really be his friend either, since the difference in age is great.

Thinking about something else would help him, but the wolf didn't give him much to work with. From the time he saw Caustic with the rabbit, Ivan liked to think that Caustic had a high rate of success with whatever he was doing. After all, he was learned. Unfortunately for Caustic, Ivan was not planning on letting this go so easily.

"I already knew that. Everyone who saw you there knows that." Ivan responded with a flick of his tail. "What? Were you trying to explode some creature? But if that were the case, I don't understand why you tried so hard to go back. So it's not that. What was it? Can I know?"

[CAUSTIC.]

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DR. CAUSTIC

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[REDACTED]
TOXIC TRAPPER
MACKENZIE VALLEY WOLF
TANGLEWOOD
"Humanity. It's just a word."

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He sees Ivan as a pseudo-son. An apprentice, perhaps? He tips his head to the side in thought, the dots above his eyes raising in a "hm." It's an idea. He doesn't want to call Ivan a son, it's not his place. He feels he would protect Ivan like one, however.

Caustic's face resets to his hard frown, tail lowly swaying as Ivan pesters the subject. He knows his own genius, that yes, he is typically successful. If he was given the proper equipment and parts, he could have made it work.

His ears flick back as Ivan asks him about it, eyes glancing back to the basement door. He heaves a sigh, glancing the to the halls where Octavio was sleeping.
The cheetah snores down the hallway. "I wasn't suppose to explode," he expresses, tail flicking side to side. He's searching his brain, trying to conceive a lie to distract from it, "I wasn't trying to make an animal explode." Ah, shit.

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Original code by lexasperated / artwork by @R_HillPrime

[Ivan]

[table][tr][td]

pixel by tricky

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[div style="width: 300px; max-height: 100px; height: overflow; overflow: scroll; padding-bottom: 5px; margin-top: -5px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #152232; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;"]He kept fancying that Ivan was absorbed in something — something inward and important — that he was striving toward some goal, perhaps very hard to attain.

— Бра́тья Карама́зовы

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Ivan was quite observant, and that was especially true from such a young age. Growing gave him more experiences, which in turn gave rise to new ideas. Ivan had his own secrets, but he liked to think he was good at hiding them. Caustic had, unfortunately, allowed a pestering little worm to get so close to him. Not many held the special honor of being admired by Ivan. He was normally a very proud individual.

And Ivan was convinced now more than ever that he had impinged on a weak spot in Caustic's explanations. There was something more than he was letting on. "Already discarded that notion." Ivan responded, subconsciously leaning forward. "Alright, what was it? Something bigger than that? Did it have anything to do with Octane? How do you put up with him anyway — I don't really understand it. I won't tell Aurum, if you tell me. And by God, if you have something that can go to space ... " He didn't mean for it to all come out like that. Sometimes he acted more childish than other times.

[CAUSTIC.]

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DR. CAUSTIC

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[REDACTED]
TOXIC TRAPPER
MACKENZIE VALLEY WOLF
TANGLEWOOD
"Humanity. It's just a word."

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These are pestering questions he doesn't want to answer and is trying to answer carefully. Ivan shouldn't know about his struggles or his past- no one needed to. Caustic a recluse by nature, Octavio didn't even know his real name. 

"The story of Octavio and I's relationship is left for a better time..." He muses, rolling his shoulders, "It's complicated." The short version? Octavio had an... attraction to the dangerous and macabre. Caustic is both of these things. It's the simplest way he can put it, and at the end of the day, he's not sure why he tolerates the fool either. Caustic's obsession is single-minded at times, and Octavio offered himself as the test subject of the scientist's desires. "It's patience. Just... patience," that's the other factor, really. Few were patient enough for Octane's bullshit.

He sighs, stepping to the basement door and pulling the latch down to the dark, gloomy stairs. He shouldn't tell Ivan, but there's the nagging thought- does it matter? "No, it doesn't go to space."

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Original code by lexasperated / artwork by @R_HillPrime

[Ivan]

[table][tr][td]

pixel by tricky

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[div style="width: 300px; max-height: 100px; height: overflow; overflow: scroll; padding-bottom: 5px; margin-top: -5px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; color: #152232; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;"]He kept fancying that Ivan was absorbed in something — something inward and important — that he was striving toward some goal, perhaps very hard to attain.

— Бра́тья Карама́зовы

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And it was probably for the best Caustic withheld the nature of his relationship with Octane. Ivan was intelligent, but not very worldly, and there was a difference. He did not understand romance fully, primarily on account of his age. He just didn't need to. As it were, he was growing up and coming of age very soon, so he only had the faintest hints of a change in desires, but perhaps Ivan was such a rock that he might never understand.

So he left it at that. Caustic and Octane were lab partners. Lab partners worked together on experiments and ... lived in the same house ... and for some reason stuck together despite the polarity of their demeanors. So it's patience, but Ivan was impatient.

Ivan pricked his ears and rose to his feet when he noticed Caustic opening the basement door. Ivan'd never been down there, obviously. "Alright, but maybe it goes somewhere else. I hope I'm not being very insolent in saying that it seems you're something very different from the others. And I'm not talking just because you seem to be the only one who likes to experiment on others." Ivan remembered clearly how Caustic managed his rabbit experiment in the yard, holding the syringe in his paw. He also recalled Caustic's apparent insecurity about eating in front of someone, and the way he and Octane planted on their porch. It was the little things like that.

Ivan was sick of his theories never having conclusions. That was the despairing part about philosophy.

"Do you want to stay here?" This was all Ivan had ever known in physicality. His mind traversed lands and periods, but he was still stuck in the swamp. He'd like to leave, but there was no where to do. "It's a bit dull, isn't it?"

[CAUSTIC.]

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CAUSTIC

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The dots above Caustic's eyes furrowed together as Ivan spoke- beginning to wonder how much Ivan had been spying on him. "...Where did you get the insinuation that it was a travelling device?" he questions, pulling up one of his dots.

Caustic begins to step down the stares, and the half-cleaned lab exposes itself. It's... kind of trashed, honestly. The explosion mark is still stained on the floor. Off to the side are Caustic's empty cages, dinged from the force of the blast. They were still in a scattered mess. The floor has mostly been cleaned of the smaller nuts and bolts, but evidence of Caustic working in here with little to no break shows itself. It's how the room is arranged- Caustic's tools and parts are within easy reach of the central work table, where the true device in question laid.

"You're not being insolent," he explains, "we are indeed, unlike the others." It's the simplest way he can put it. Vaguely, he wonders what Ivan would look like as a human.

Caustic freezes for a moment, as Ivan is behind him, staring at the wall. "No," Caustic's ears flick back and his tail lowers. "Everything about this place is dull," but where else would he go?

It was underneath a white sheet, as if Caustic was covering a body. "It's this," he explains, patting the stool for Ivan to hop on it to be eye-level with the table, as Caustic stands on his hind legs, propping his front side on the table. The wolf pulls back at the sheet.

The device is ruined and unsalvageable. It's hard to tell what it even is- it's a metallic casing with wires and a broken lens, as if it was meant to project something.

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