Latest Posts by justanotherblogger - Page 4
Hello, I hope you and your family are well. Can you please help me recycle the post on my account? 🌺 And help rescue my family from the war in Gaza? 🙏 Thank you.
https://gofund.me/198b6d57
Update!!!
I'm sorry for not posting anything on here or ao3 for the past week. I was in an area with little to no internet, so I couldn't update even if I wanted to, and I forgot to inform you guys of this before leaving for the 4th. I'll try to get stuff back up and running this week, and I hope it wasn't too much of a wait!
Help my family. War is devastating. There is nothing left to live. No schools, no universities, no home, and no dreams. All dreams have been shattered. I hope for help before it is too
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Chapter 4 on ao3!
Chapter Announcement!
I have been struggling to get the motivation to write something for the next chapter. Like I have said before, I have many ideas for what should happen, I just don't really know how to put them into words. To make up for this, I'll try to update the existing chapters onto ao3 a bit faster than I would usually post a chapter here on Tumblr. This will be easier because I copy and paste along with touch-ups, which I dont have to write new plot points for. I hope this won't be too inconvenient for people who actually want a new chapter, but these rewrites will most likely have new info as I flesh out scenes or add more character to have a situation play out better! This will also help ao3 catch up to the Tumblr amount of chapters. With this announcement, I hope you all have a good day and will enjoy the chapters on ao3! (Ps, I will also upload the new ao3 chapter links here for anyone who wants them)
I want to know if I should keep posting my chapters on Tumblr or if should I just post them on ao3.
I FINALLY GOT AN AO3 ACCOUNT!!!!!
I have made the first chapter in ao3 now, and I'll post all of my other chapters up there soon!
A World Without Him
Chapter 11
(TW some strong language and minor blood)
Tang could feel himself wake from unconsciousness. His body became solid as he was pulled from the void that made up his dreams.
His eyes and limbs felt heavy, as if he was buried beneath the ground. Still, he could barely feel a cold breeze flow over his forehead as he listened to the sounds around him.
The rustling of curtains, birds chirping outside, distant voices of people on the street, and his own breathing flow into his ears. The sounds distant, yet too loud as they rushed into his head.
Then he tried to focus on his surroundings instead of losing himself in the white noise, as that wouldn't help him move any time soon.
Now Tang felt the smooth and cold surface he was laying on. The grooves of age in what seemed to be hardwood flooring gave him an idea of where he'd been placed after he collapsed outside...
How did I even get back inside, in my bedroom, no less? My apartment's on the 5th floor...
The hard floor dug into his side as he felt his clothes and hair had layers of grime on them. It gave an uncomfortable weight to his clothes. Then he remembered this was what he had on while at the library.
Don't think about that.
The point being, he was covered from head to toe in dust and other debris. He must have looked crazy yesterday when he ran panicked through the streets.
I shouldn't have left.
With a sigh and with his eyes still heavy, he planned to start pushing himself off the floor to stop the stabbing pain in his side.
However, he could barely sit up straight before he felt two hands grab harshly onto his shoulders. His eyes flung open as he was pushed up into a standing position by the hands, stumbling forwards from the excess force like a rag doll.
He snapped his head around to look behind him, but he couldn't see anything because of his damaged vision. A blurry silhouette was all he could barely see before it seemed to dissipate back into thin air.
Tang froze in place, waiting for the thing to make another move. Yet, he didn't hear or feel anything else for the minutes he stood completely still.
A small chuckle broke out from his short, silent breaths. He then broke into manic laughter as tears ran down his face and onto the hardwood floor. He could barely breathe as the laughter kept getting louder and louder as he doubled over.
'...Geeze, has he already gone insane?'
'From our efforts in stopping the big guy, I don't really blame him.'
Tang's laughter abruptly stops, his vocal cords stinging from continuous use. He shoots up, grasps his glasses, and looks around his room frantically for the source of the voices. He finds nothing other than a breeze from the open window.
The laughter returns, now louder than before. "I'm going insane!" He runs a hand through his hair, ruffling strands into his face. "I just wanted everything to go back to normal! I JUST WANTED TO BE FREE OF THESE FUCKING VOICES! I never wanted any of this!"
Smoke started to rise from where Tang stood on the hardwood floor as tears started to run down his face once again. "But no! I have to almost die! I have to see someone I care about LOSE A FUCKING LEG! I have to be tortured every night through my nightmares and have them FOLLOW ME THROUGHOUT THE DAMN DAY!"
Everything was suddenly too quiet for Tang as his labored breathing echoed through the bedroom. Tear streaks ran rapidly down his cheeks and onto the steaming floor.
He stared as the drops fell and dispersed among the ground. He could hear more whispers enter his mind, but he couldn't care less at the moment.
A small chuckle was the only warning before he bolted out of the bedroom, through the complete mess of a living room, and into the bathroom.
He wanted to be free of the filth covering his body. The dust and debris that killed maimed Allan when those monsters attacked the library...
Monsters?
Don't go farther down that road.
Tang only sighed at his thoughts before stripping and seeing the scorched handprints on the back of his overcoat. He grimaced before dropping it onto the ground, putting his glasses onto the edge of the sink and throwing himself into the shower. The scalding hot water turned his skin red as the stinging replaced the grime that used to cover his body.
Still, he scrubbed and scrubbed at his skin and hair until he was sure there was no more filth stuck to his body. Afterward, he let the water flow over him as he stood unmoving. Closing his eyes, he relished over the burning feeling.
He only opened them again when the water started to turn cold: the heat no longer being supported from his overuse. He slowly turned the knob to stop the water before stepping out and grabbing a towel off of the door handle.
After ruffling his hair with the towel and wrapping it around his waist, he sat down onto the toilet seat to take a breather. The cold air from the door left ajar helped him to cool down and think.
Am I really going insane? He thought. This has happened too many times to write off by now. Why is this even happening to me?
Why can't everything just end?
He choked up quiet sobs, putting his head into his arms. The lights above him flickered, and yet he just couldn't care anymore. He looked up blankly at the light bulb before rubbing his eyes and standing up to walk to the mirror.
He took his glasses off of the sinks edge and leveled them onto his face. He noticed the left side was cracked as he looked into the fogged up mirror, seeing the left side in pieces.
Tang grumbled as he wiped the mirror to uncover his eyes so he could see the damage done.
The lights flickered. He gasped as he saw his eyes suddenly turn blinding orange with blood splatter caked over his face in the mirror-
*CRACK*
Pieces of the mirror fell to the floor. His knuckles barely stung from the force he put into the punch. The mirror was now cracked and scattered onto the tiled bathroom floor.
With his heartbeat steady, Tang slowly pulled his fist from the reflective remnants. A hole through and mirror and into the back wall was now shown, some blood speckled in from his cut hand.
Holding his curled up hand, he saw the small shards now embedded into his knuckles: small trails of blood running down his arm.
He stared blankly at the cuts before rummaging into his cabinets and taking out a nail kit. It took some effort, but he was able to wrangle out tweezers from the case eventually.
He washed the hand with warm, soapy water before taking the tweezers and slowly pulling out each shard. His face was blank the entire time as he took each chunk out of his skin, even when washing his hand again and wrapping it up in bandages.
The whole debacle was over in a few minutes, even though it felt like hours to him. He looked back at the mirror. I guess I have to put another thing onto the to-do list.
Brushing the shards off the ground and clothes he left on the bathroom tile, he threw them into the bin and walked back into the living room.
In the messy state that it was, he could see many random pieces of clothing all over the floor and broken furniture. He could see leather jackets, old headbands, and even a Pigsy's shirt from when he used to work there.
Yet the thing that caught his eye was his matching jacket and pants he used to wear for special occasions. The soft navy fabric of the jacket and gray fabric of the pants Tang remembered helping calm him in those high tension situations.
The overcoat was long and had silver floral designs at the bottom near the calves and on the cuffs of the sleeves. The pants were similar, having those same floral designs at the pant cuffs. They were both hung over what was left of the coffee table.
He barely had to think before putting them on with underwear, a tan turtle neck, black flats, and the maroon scarf he snagged from his old clothes pile. It had the least debris on it.
Now feeling snug against multiple layers, which made him feel less cold and empty, he could finally do, erm...
Why did he dress up anyway?
He really didn't know why he put in this much effort, but now he supposes he might as well go out and do something other than being cooped up in his apartment.
Walking into his bedroom, he noticed the window was still open from the night before. The breeze barely bothered him as he shut the window yet again.
Now, hopping onto his bed, Tang reaches for his cracked phone to see if anyone messaged him for something. The only things in his notifications were a text from Pigsy and some ads about manga sales and new releases.
He then suddenly remembered how he had promised to see Pigsy. Yesterday morning, where he basically had a mental breakdown the entire day...
I am going to get so much crap for this.
He sat up and out of bed before turning off his phone. Maybe if he got there quick enough today, Pigsy would be a bit more forgiving? Who is he kidding, but maybe it was better to get it over with and a good distraction from what happened yesterday.
With that plan set in his mind, Tang took quick strides out of his apartment after locking it, of course, and started to walk the regular path to Pigsy's noodles.
The day was cloudy, yet no rain was supposed to come down today. With the sun blocked out, everything seemed a bit less vibrant than usual, which he was glad for as it would be a bit overwhelming otherwise with all the neon to go with the sun's rays.
The walk was quiet up to Pigsy's, putting him on edge as he looked back, on top of roofs and into alleys to see if anyone was following more times than he could count. Yet when he got to the shop door, there was something wrong with it: it was closed. Pigsy's was closed, on a weekday, during rush hour.
Oh no, did something happen to him?!
Tang quickly took out his phone to text Pigsy and realized he still had a message from him he hadn't read yet. Sitting on one of the outside benches, he opened the text from Pigsy
Pigsy 🍜🩷
10:46 AM
Pigsy: Hey
Pigsy: Just letting you know Mk dragged us onto a trip to Flower Fruit Mountain to help wrangle some Monkeys for Monkey King or something, might be gone for a few days.
Pigsy: I couldn't tell you earlier because Mk just grabbed me and Sandy out of the shop and I could barely close it in time.
Pigsy: I tried to tell them what we had planned but Mk and Mei were too energetic to reason with
10:47 AM
Pigsy: I'm sorry for ditching you yesterday, but we're still having that talk when I get back. No excuses.
Tang just stared at the message, trying to reason with what it said.
Mk took Pigsy and Sandy without me? I know they haven't talked to me much lately, but they still would've dragged me along to whatever stunt they were going to pull. Even if not, they would have told me before doing anything! There wasn't even a text...
That left a gross feeling in Tang's chest.
And what if I had shown up yesterday? I wouldn't have even known if they were okay until this mornings text! Did they not even think about how worried I would've been? Did they even consider how I could have felt at all?
He only shook his head at the thoughts, trying to drive away the bad feelings that came with them. He knows he and Mk haven't talked much lately; the same goes for Sandy and Mei, but he still knows what's going on with them! He still talks and tells them what's happening through the group chat to show he's still there!
Yet why does it feel as though I've been forgotten about? Why do I feel a sense of doubt now? He thinks as he leans back onto the bench.
He thinks back to the library, an unwanted thought crossing his mind. Mk didn't even try to keep the damages to a minimum as he redirected the strikes to the roof instead of blocking them with his staff.
And he looked so carefree and happy after the incident! Did Mk even know Tang was there? Did he even think about the possible damages he had caused? And he just leaves afterward, posing with tea and smiling!
Do they ignore or filter everything he says?
...Does Mk even care about him anymore?
...
...
I should stop.
All this self-loathing is getting him nowhere. It's not as if he was hurt during the battle. He doesn't have a right to be angry about a lack of care when someone got it worse than him.
Now, his thoughts were back to Allan. He didn't deserve anything that happened to him that day. He had gotten it so much worse than him, so why is Tang complaining?
Suddenly, an idea crossed his mind. He could check all the hospitals near the library to see if Allan was registered anywhere! It's not a full proof plan, but it was something worthwhile he could do while he was already out of a slump.
So he started to walk to the library, or what was left of it, to see if he could start there. When he arrived, he could barely believe what he could see. The entire roof is gone, save the few glass panels still stuck on the back, the walls were seemingly about to crumble at a slight breeze, and different holes ranging from sizes were stuck throughout the building, making it dangerous if most of it weren't already crumbled onto the ground.
Yellow tape covering the premises swayed back and forth as Tang walked onto the parking lot sidewalk, not daring to get closer lest something were to fall again.
He already had a bad feeling when he arrived, and it almost got doubly worse when he stopped at the sidewalk. Nevertheless, he had wanted to see what the remains looked like, and now he knew. Taking a deep breath and looking away from the building, he checked his phone for the nearest hospitals.
Among the list was one that looked eerily familiar. MSH was listed near the top, and it seemed like a fever dream to be seeing it here.
Now, along with this feeling of familiarity, he felt compelled to follow this lead. Maybe to help the new bad feeling in his stomach from those letters, but he'll try anyways.
The walk isn't that far; it's about the same length it takes to get to the docks from his apartment. When he arrives in front of the hospital, he suddenly gets a sense of deja vu, like he's been here before.
Ignoring the feeling, he steps through the doors and heads up to the receptionist at the desk. "Hey there." Tang greeted a bit awkwardly. The receptionist just smiled. "Hello there, how can I help you today?"
Tang seemed to lose vigor as he continued to speak. "Erm, I was wondering if you had any teenage admitants named Allan? I-I was just wondering since I was his colleague at the library when it got attacked, and I know it's probably personal information but-"
The receptionist held her hand up halfway through his ramble. "I understand your concern, and if he is permitted here and allows friends to visit, you're welcome to see him. I'll just have to see if he's registered in our care, so please give me a moment."
Tang sheepishly sat down at one of the lobby seats as the receptionist went back to typing on her computer. After about 10 minutes, she called him back up to the desk. "We do have an Allan Bentley in room 1225. He's in for an injured leg, is allowing visitors, and he came from the library attack. Is he who you're looking for?"
He knew it was Allan from the leg injury; he saw him get wheeled away himself. He quickly affirmed the receptionist and thanked her before moving towards the elevator.
Following the signs on the walls with little difficulty, he was able to find room 1225. Yet, Tang hesitated in front of the door. Did Allan even want to see him? Did Allan blame him for what happened? He wouldn't put it past the kid if he did.
But he wanted to see if he was alright. Wanted to see Allan breathing and alive, even if that was a bit selfish of him since he's the one who slowed him down in the first place.
So before he can back out of it, he opens the door. The room is steril and white, with the acception of some window stickers from previous patients, most likely.
He walked slowly up the bed and gasped at what he saw. Allan seemed more thin and pale than he remembered. His brows were creased even in his sleep as he breathed slowly in a rhythm.
Tang thought Allan would be awake since visiting hours were still open, but he must be lucky to catch him right after he fell asleep.
Looking at the bedside table, he could see comics of some kind, with the first addition of Monkey Cop at the top. It seemed like Allan was able to keep it, even through the whole debacle.
This lifted a weight off of Tang's shoulders. Seeing how Allan kept the comic must mean he doesn't completely hate him now and is coherent enough to read already, as it seems to have more wear than when he first gave the comic to him.
He gives a small smile as he slowly puts his hand on Allan's head, comforting the kid to uncrease his brows just a bit and feel his chest rise and fall.
He left quickly after that. He couldn't stay in that room much longer when he knew how much pain Allan was in right now. He could see the void where his left leg used to be under the blanket.
The feeling of regret only got worse as the sky started to dim on his way back. Why did Allan have to suffer like that? Why couldn't I save him? Why wasn't he able to make it out okay like everyone else?
It was the fight.
Tang was now in front of his apartment door. He had stopped in front of it as the voice spoke from behind.
That child took to fight too recklessly. He directed the strikes to the ceiling, causing it to fall onto you and Allan.
No, no, it wasn't Mk's fault. There was a lot going on, and everything was just chaos-
Yet the child seemed to deny those stakes. You saw how he moved on so quickly, how he smiled and joked about it afterward, taking nothing about it seriously.
Tang looked to the ground, a gross feeling climbing up his throat.
But he did care! He even reached out to me after he found out I was there!
And that is the problem. He only cared about the companion he could have lost, not for the other lives he'd endangered. Heck, he only started to care when someone else showed him you were there.
The voice spoke with certainty, venom apparent in its tone.
Do you think he would have worried were it not for that reminder? Do you really think he would have looked twice if you were someone unrelated to him?
But Mk is a good kid! He didn't look only because he thought everyone had made it into the shelter.
He started to shake with rage as the voice kept going with its remarks.
Yet he knew you were there, and he didn't even stay to check if you were alright? Did he even know you were there? Did he not give you the simplest time of day that he completely forgot about your existence.
Stop.
Do you really think you matter to him anymore? It's not like he even bothered to tell you about the trip yesterday, where he left you completely alone with no contact. Do you think someone like that is worthy of having those powers?
Stop it.
Someone like that shouldn't be worthy of anything, nonetheless powers to destroy whole cities. You know what happened, and you couldn't save Allan that way. That boy doesn't deserve the abilities he has, and takes them for granted.
Why are you doing this?
Tears roll down Tang's face yet again.
Why should he get these powers? Why should he be the chosen one when you are much more deserving? Why does he get to take power for granted when you struggle every day to keep people safe and survive? Why does he get to feel happy and live without worry while you have to lie down and suffer from how many people you have had to watch die?
"JUST GO AWAY!" Tang's voice cracks as he yells into the open air. Silence is the only thing that greets him as he numbly stares at the door in front of him, still unopened.
His face is now blank. The tear streaks on his face have dried to the point they're stuck on his face. He slowly brings his key to the door and numbly walks inside, seeing the mess of his living room and bathroom of the doorway.
He only ignores the mess, stopping briefly where The Origins of JTTW had been left open before grabbing it and beelining to the bedroom, shutting the door behind him and walking towards the window. He lifts the window up and lets the breeze blow through the room, ruffling the sheets and blanket on the bed.
The cool breeze doesn't bother Tang, though, as he only turns towards the bed and bats the loose strands out of his face from the down hair he didn't bother to put up.
He doesn't lay down on the bed. He instead kicks off his shoes to the side, takes off his cracked glasses, and puts them on the side table with his matching phone.
Then he stares out the open window, looking towards the blurry figures of stars and planets as he lifts up the barely decipherable book showing Golden Cicada.
I can't keep going like this. I need to leave. Maybe that's what these horrible dreams have been trying to tell me. I just want to get away from it all.
He roughly shuts the book and throws it into the wall. Whatever he's dealing with, he's not gonna put up with it anymore starting tomorrow. He's going to leave, and he's going to get better.
That's what he thinks as he falls back into his bed and looks back to the blurry lights once again before blacking out, hopefully for the last time.
Previous | Next | Start
Don't mention how I was so tired that I spelled monkey wrong about 5 times...
Have an Allan doodle!
Testing week sucks, especially since people keep assigning end-of-the-year assignments one on top of the other, adding on to the SOLs I already have to take. Because of this, I'll be working most of today and this weekend. I will try to update Monday because of this, and I already have the outline of Chapter 11 ready for fleshing out. Thank you for reading, and I hope you all have a great day!
This is a freaking masterpiece. Also, I love Ethan in this style and how you showed events from RE: 7 and RE: 8. So cool!!!!!
over & over resident evil animation
yt link
bro chiefarcadedreammer, valiantcandysweets, and shinychaosnightmarelyn are all scammers, check kyra45's blog
Oh, I didn't know. Thank you for informing me.
Have an Allan doodle!
Testing week sucks, especially since people keep assigning end-of-the-year assignments one on top of the other, adding on to the SOLs I already have to take. Because of this, I'll be working most of today and this weekend. I will try to update Monday because of this, and I already have the outline of Chapter 11 ready for fleshing out. Thank you for reading, and I hope you all have a great day!
Hello! I'm sorry for not posting this week. I've had so many ideas just no motivation to go with it. I'll try to post next week or earlier if I can.
Also, I found this amazing Cicada charm yesterday, and I now feel compelled to add it to my Tang designs.
Some more Doodles pages!
This one is about my main story this time! I really liked how his clothes turned out and his side profiles.
A World Without Him
Chapter 10
Oh my goodness, what was I thinking?!
Tang had gotten over his shock when he finally walked far enough to actually think about what just happened. But in his haste, he had already walked a couple of blocks when he had been lost in the moment.
Now, though, he's stopped at that bakery with the make-it-yourself type deal that he remembered opening a couple of days ago. The only reason he could recognize it was because he was currently pacing past its window.
He had been freaking out ever since he got over his grogginess from the previous haze. He hasn't been out since last night, he doesn't have any supplies with him (including his dead phone left on the bedside table) other than a nearly empty backpack, and now he's walking aimlessly towards something he doesn't even know exists or not because of a random dream!
I should just go home. I dont know what to look for or what I'm doing. Tang thought, stopping his continuous pacing.
Now he was right in front of the store window, seeing his tired reflection looking right back at him with the sun highlighting his face from behind. He could only sigh before sitting on one of the outside tables in front of said window. Then he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, releasing the tension from between them. The colors around blended together as his vision distorted and stretched.
It was only after he opened and refocussed his eyes agin, that he noticed the deathly silence around him. His surroundings now seemed blurry without his glasses, but he could still feel the lifelessness his surroundings now held.
The street looked dark and colorless, almost as if the color had been faded out of a photograph. The blurry shapes around him never moved, never made a sound. The only thing in his ears was his heartbeat, which steadily kept rising against his will.
He hastily grabbed his glasses, his eyes widening when the surroundings seemed to warp with his vision.
The street was now in full gray-scale, with the shadows being pitch black against the light gray buildings. Everything seemed frozen in time, with the people around him gaining soft, colorful outlines while frozen in place.
Tang didn't know what was going on, and didn't want to know what was going on. Maybe he finally snapped. Maybe he's full on hallucinating now. All he could think about now was getting back home.
So he violently stood up from the table and started to speed walk back home. The still, almost completely colorless figures of the civillians unnerved him to no end.
From closer inspection, they seemed to be in slow motion; it was just enough to where they seems like statues at a first glance. Tang didn't notice this until he saw one guy's drink slowly spread onto the sidewalk from a supposedly clumsy passerby.
I'm going insane.
He side-stepped another civillian on the street with their bright purple hue overpowering the soft sky blue of the person beside them. He tried not to pay too much attention to these strange details.
The one time I try to find some answers about my recent episodes and now I'm back into a worse version of one!
With an irritated grunt, Tang kicks a stray can on the street, now a block away from the start of this limbo type place. The can only went up about a foot before slowing down to the speed of its surroundings.
A small breeze pucks up through his street, not affected by the slowing time. Yet he didn't acknowledge the change, only focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
Why am I so unlucky to have this happen right after yesterday?
He yet again speeds up his pace, now almost a complete sprint past all the still moments around him. He needs to get home. He needs to be sane to actually know what's going on.
Is any of this even happening? I'm an idiot: of course this isn't real. I'm just having another episode, after another horrible dream, after another person died in my arms-
...Why can't I just get over it already. I can't change anything.
The breeze picked up suddenly, whipping past Tang's grimaced face. The intense force of the wind didn't seem to affect him, though, as it swerved around him and through his hair.
Wisps of messy hair flowed in front of his face as he continued on his way home.
Why do I always let something like this happen? When can this finally just stop? I can't keep helplessly watching from the sidelines as people like Allan risk their lives for cowards like me.
He could feel wet tears roll down his face. They dropped to the still ground in waves as he continued to walk. He couldn't waste any more time in this nightmare world unless he wanted his brain to snap.
He walked past many construction sites over the next couple of blocks. He didn't remember walking this far out, but he didn't want to think about the connotations of what that could mean.
He could see the foundations crushed to bits from the empty sidewalk; the concrete walls and floor were all cracked or completely torn through by what Tang could only assume was one of Mk's many battles.
His thoughts carried on to the library, with the sunken roof and the crumblibg walls, but he quickly shut down whatever he was about to think next. Mk was always reckless; it's just who he is. A bad feeling always seemed to overwhelm his stomach when he thought about Mk after yesterday.
Oh please, it's not like you would be any better in his position.
The wind kicks up again, slightly pushing him forward.
Do you think you're any different from the demons he fights every day? How you've probably done worse things than what those bastards could ever dream of?
The tears continue down his face as he walks by the many windows of the street. The shop fronts seem just as lifeless as the rest of the street. He stares as his feet when he walks, avoiding looking at the shops while creating a trail behind him as the waterworks don't seem to stop.
Harina would've left you there to die if she knew what you would become.
Tang's breathes were heavy as he slowed down his steps, almost stopping entirely in front of a stores window. He noticed it had sunflower motifs as he raised his head up to look in the window.
He could only see himself looking back. His hair messy and unkempt, his body highlited in a soft orange glow, his eyes puffy from sobbing all the way here, and his suddenly pale face as he noticed the figure standing beside him.
A tall, young woman stood behind him, staring into his eyes over his shoulder. Her eyes were hollow and blood dripped slowly from her mouth and he long black hair swayed with the breeze.
You were, and still are a pathetic, worthless piece of shit that doesn't even try to live on in her memory as you just lounge over their hundreds of sacrifices-
"JUST LEAVE, ME, ALONE." Tang had shouted, grabbing his own head and crouching down onto the ground. The wind howled in his ears and started to harshly whip the street, shattering every window as far as the eye could see.
Glass rained down over him and the street as he looked up, not caring if he was struck with the shimmering downpour. The glass slowly fell onto the surrounding area, and eventually slowing to a stop like the rest of this hellish place.
He could only stare at the moment frozen in time. The reflections in them proved irksome as they seemed to drown in the orange glow from behind him.
He was yet again tired of this place. How many times does he have to go through this? Enough to please whatever God he had pissed off probably. He laughed bitterly to himself.
He didn't turn around. He closed his eyes. He didn't want to give whatever those monsters wanted out of him; he just wanted to go home.
So only when the whispers from behind finally faded, and the piercing eyes slowly disappeared, was when Tang opened his eyes again.
Now everything was truly quiet. No buzzing, no whispers in the back of his mind, just silence.
He slowly tilted his head up from his perch on the sidewalk, taking everything in slowly. A tall building was in front of him. He could already feel how it was steril, blank, and full of mixed emotions.
The doors in front of him show many different signs, but one caught his eyes immeadietly, "Metrapolis Springs Hospital: First Responder volunteers needed!"
The golden lettering was all it took for his eyes to widen from the initial numbness. Those letters important, he knew. It's just that he didn't know why.
And he would never find out at this moment, as looking too hard at the building caused his vision to blur once again, causing him to lean on a nearby electrical pole for balance.
It getting hard to keep his eyes open as his eyelids became heavy and the whispers started up again. However, there was only one this time. It talked smoothly through his head as his conscious slipped away from his grasp, leaving him up against the pole.
When he woke up again, the world suddenly gained more colors than before, causing Tang's eyes to hurt from the brightness. When he refocussed again, he could tell that the sky had darkened and the sun was about to set.
Where am I?...
He slowly looked around in his grogginess, coming to realize he was right outside of his apartment. He had been sat down on the outside electrical pole with all the posters. He could even see the one for the Metrapolis Library still up with some new tears...
He needed to go back home. Getting inside where it was safe was his top priority. He grabbed the side of the splintered pole to pull himself up and steady his unstable stance, letting him stand up after some struggle.
His mind knew he needed to do something today, something that was important enough to make him feel uneasy, yet his body didn't cooperate as it lead him through the double doors of his apartment building.
The golden letters repeated over and over in his mind as he walked up the steps. They were ingrained into his brain as he reached his final floor.
And then, yet again, Tang could only open the door and slam it behind him as he slid down on the other side. He put his head between his knees as he closed his eyes once again.
I can't keep living like this: these, these horrible trances everyday just kept getting worse and worse as I continue to stay here. I need to leave. I just need to... get away from it all...
And finally, he could only succumb to sleep at the end of it all. His body went limp, and he passed out even before his body hit the floor.
Previous | Next | Start
I made some small rewrites in the ending of the latest chapter. The vibe was a bit too hopeful, in my opinion. In my defense, I finished this in one sitting with no beta reader. Hope this version reads better!
A World Without Him
Chapter 9
(TW a lot of blood, slight suicidal thoughts, and unsettling imagery)
Tang knew he was no longer in his bed. The calm darkness was replaced with an atmosphere of suffocation: like if he were to move even an inch, he would trigger something to happen. Everything just felt wrong.
He already knew this wouldn't end well for him. Every time he ended up in this dreamlike state, it always ended up in him getting dragged some way or another. He didn't think he could handle something like that again. Not right now.
But he also knew whatever was in store for him would always begin eventually; no matter what he did, something always happened to him. So, he decided instead of sitting still with his eyes closed like a sitting duck, he would try to figure out where he was first, at least.
So then, he slowly opened his eyes to a strikingly blank room. A very different start to most of his dreams. A steril, white space greeted him; the room had no windows and yellow fluorescent lights. The bland seats and decor didn't take away from the emptiness he felt from this place.
The room felt suffocating. He didn't know if he could keep still. He couldn't breathe.
Suddenly, a door opened to his right, and a tall man with a white coat walked out steddily. His footsteps were silent, and his badge was weirdly in focus with the letters MSH spread across its side in golden ink. Was there a door there before? I didn't think...
But before he could continue his train of thought, the doctor(?) spoke to him curtly. "I'm afraid he had lost too much blood. We couldn't find the rest of his leg, so we couldn't even try reattachment without a donor. We tried our best to keep him stable, but we weren't able to save him." The voice was muffled: as if it were underwater.
"...What?" Tang asked hesitantly. He really didn't know what he's doing here in the first place. Also, he didn't even know anyone who was in the hospital to dream about! The last thing he remembers was his quiet walk to the library and...
Barely anything had happened after that, with the norm of setting up shop at the library, and then lounging around with a few people checking out the occasional book. Everything was fine! The last thing he even remembered from work was rambling and sharing comics with... Allan.
Allan, Allan.... what happened? I dont know why I keep thinking about him...
Something horrible suddenly hit Tang's nose, causing him to cough a few times. A sickening smell of copper and rot started coming from the door. He shot his head towards the source and saw how it was now mangled and covered in red splotches. Blood gushed out from under it as the crimson liquid encompassed the entire checkered floor.
Tang was all but frozen in place as all he could do was stare in horror. Then everything came rushing back like a punch to the gut. Blood had slowly dripped down onto the parking lot and stained its path a striking red. The blank look in his eyes as he was rolled away to who knows where-
Oh my god, ALLAN!
Tang then sprung out of his chair and rushed past where the doctor used to be, splashing the red onto his pant legs as he ran without care. As soon as he made it to the rotting door, he slammed it open and saw many nurses standing eerily still, parting for him and making a straight path ahead down the long hallway. Their eyes were blank as they stared into his head.
But he didnt notice. All he could think about was running. Getting there in time before something happened. Getting there before they were gone. Getting there before they STOPPED BREATHING-
He could feel the red slowly creep up his ankles. As he kept running faster and faster, the blood slowly rose higher and higher with him. The nurses surrounding him began to wane as the walls got closer and closer. They seemed almost like statues.
That was until Tang saw it at the end of the long hallway. A hospital bed holding a thin figure with a slowing heart rate. The slow beeps echoed throughout the hall. The remaining nurses around him then started to melt into crimson mush as their eyes pierced into his back.
Tangs eyes widened, and he somehow forced himself to go faster. "Allan! Allan, please respond!" He pleaded, continuing his sprint to the still figure. The shapes of its body remained eerily still and unresponsive to the noise.
No. No, no, no. Not again. I can't have this happen again. No. You have to get up. Please.
"Please get up, Allan! I know you're in there! Just wake up!" Tang yelled as he got closer and closer. The red on the floor was now rushing against his legs while rising faster and faster.
Up and up it got as Tang kept running for what seemed like an endless hallway. The blood was up to his calves at this point, but nothing was hindering his descent in the slightest.
That was until something tried to grab onto his pant cuff from under all the red. Tang didn't notice the slight tug at first, too busy putting one foot in front of another.
That was until more tried to do the same.
FUCK. Why now why now why now!?!?!? He had finally noticed after the hands lifted above the murky crimson surface that were trying to grab onto more than just a pant cuff.
The hospital bed was now nowhere in sight; it had faded from view. Now it's just an endless hallway full of blood and shining red hands grabbing at him from under the bloody floor.
His stress levels had hightened as the blood began to rush against his legs, causing more force to push him back into the hands. Even through his hysteria, Tang knew he couldn't keep the pace for much longer. More and more hands kept slinking up from the crimson depths that he doubted if he could even make it to the next step.
And he was right.
A sudden burst from the ground threw Tang and a wave of red back towards the now hundreds of shining hands. He landed on his back as he was blinded by the crimson liquid. The shockwave of red flew over him and he was submerged; he choked on the metalic substance as he was thrown further and further back.
When he was finally dropped harshly onto the bloody concrete floor, the hands had disappeared, and all that was left was him, the red hallway, and the thing in front of him. Blood dripped from his brow as he looked up to what had thrown him back.
And now he wishes he had kept his eyes closed. He didn't know what he was looking at, but he knew that it was dangerous. The humanoid figure stood floating above the gap in the ground with a continuous buzzing, which was the only thing he could hear.
The area where it came from was now stretched beyond recognition; the floor had been splintered badly where the thing stood. The red now rushed forward instead of against him, slowly pouring into the new hole that goes to... somewhere he doesn't want to know.
Tang could feel it rush past him and lulling forward, though the force never moved him even an inch. It felt more like a familiar breeze than gallons of blood rushing forward into some vacant void. His breaths were slow and deliberate as they echoed in his ears.
He could've collapsed right then and there if he could. The red ran out through the hole, and all that was left were puddles instead of the hulking mass it used to be.
But something just always took away any peace he had. Before he could even think of closing his eyes, the figure in front of him burst open with a loud bang. "AHHH!" Tang had yelled in surprise as the pieces flew over him.
Wait, flew?
He quickly looked back to where the body had been before. The top half is completely gone and buzzing loudly with something crawling around the figure.
You have got to be kidding me... he thought, exasperated. He could see each and every individual bug on the body; everything glowed a soft orange that burned into his gaze.
Tang was tired. Tired of these stupid dream sequences, tired of whatever God decided to make his real life hell, and tired of how he wasn't able to stop any of it. Everything went on without him. Nothing would change if he were gone. Nothing would be different now than if he had just disappeared under that rubble.
A sudden woosh from in front of him was all the warning he got before swarms and swarms of orange surrounded him. They crawled along his clothes, whispered into his ears, pulled him up and forward.
His heartbeat echoes through his head as he suddenly knows he had moved. Now he was falling. Falling and falling through the endless void under his dreams. Nothing would stop his descent. Nothing would be there for his two fall onto. No one was coming for him. He closed his eyes.
...
...
...
He suddenly felt warmth surround him. A solid surface under his weight. Something had caught him.
Tang could feel the surface move, bringing him up and out of wherever he had been before. The air felt lighter, almost as if the world was encompassed in the suns rays.
Yet everything still felt restless. An anticipation so great is glowered on the prison itself.
Prison?....
Suddenly, an unwelcome voice entered his head.
Yes. Why don't you open your eyes for me? I've been waiting for something like this, you know.
And Tang didn't know why he followed along. Why he felt compelled to open his eyes and look forward. Yet he did so without hesitation.
He was in the palm of its hand. The orange, glowing hand that held him like a delicate flower. Dark shackles were attached to its wrists, slowing its movements.
Yet that didn't stop it from looking down onto him with its big, beady eyes. It seemingly looked into his soul, seeing through him with an almost smug air around it. The cicada head and the multitude of wings behind it just added to the unrealness of the situation.
But then it just smiled, or what could even be considered a smile for something like that.
You're perfect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the first time in a month, Tang felt well rested. He eyes were glued shut with exhaustion, yet his mind felt clear. His memories if the dream felt foggy, yet calming and nostalgic.
He had checked the time on his dying phone and even found out that he had gotten up at a reasonable tike for once! Given, it was only 7:00 AM, but this was better than usual.
Then that peace, his so fragile peace that seemed to always get broken every chapter, got shattered when the smell of smoke entered his nose.
That got him up and out of bed as he quickly threw off the sheets and saw how the edges of his blanket had been burned slightly. The wisps of ash flew up and out the open window; a slight breeze flowed through the room, taking them away.
He could only try to pat the charred edges with his hand to put the small flames out. The window had been opened again, and he swore he had closed it yesterday. But then again, almost everything from yesterday was hazy.
After he made sure his blanket wasn't going to burn his bedroom down, he slinked out of bed and threw the blanket into trash beside the kitchen. It bunched up over the already overflowing can, but stayed in place.
Tang carefully maneuvered around his ruined living room, dodging any stray pieces of glass or splinters sticking out of the carpet. He jumped straight onto his couch and reached for a random book on his messy floor.
The one he had picked up was one of his favorites: The Origins of JTTW. This had always been the most accurate in a sense of real archeology used in the sources along with many scholarly accounts backing the piece up.
It was also his first book in his collection. Something from a long time ago that someone else definitely would have kept in a box or charity.
He absent-mindedly flipped through the pages: seeing the same images and the same words in the same order over and over again tends to give you a sense of what to expect.
Then, a familiar face came into view. Something that jolted his foggy memory. A bipedal, golden cicada in long robes stood as the focus of this page. The many limbs and wings attached to its body couldn't be mistaken for anything else as the rest of his dream faded away into his mind.
Tang's eyes shot wide as he continued down the page. The power of resurrection. A disciple of Buddha. A being of chaos. A sign of transition and renewal.
Things kept getting more complicated as he finished reading the page. He knew that dreams were random: that they didn't have any special meaning behind them. And yet, why did this feel so important?
He didn't want to think too much about it. But now that he's... got more free time, he wants to figure out what's going on: why he keeps having these dreams, how he was able to split that table in half, and the voices he kept hearing after LBD's defeat (that had gone silent recently). He wanted answers.
I don't know what's going on. Heck, I don't even know if I'm going insane or not, but I'm going to find more. I need to figure out what's wrong with me.
And with that new stack of determination, Tang prepared a small backpack (where did his messanger bag go?) and headed off back outside with a new goal I mind.
Hopefully, this trip will be the first of his kind to go somewhat smoothly.
Previous | Next | Start
WHOO! Good to see you back! I also just got into watching the anime, and I am SO excited to see what you do with this! So many possibilities! I love this so much!
NEW AU!!
Announcement!
I am currently in another country for my spring break, and I won't be able to post this week. That is all; I just wanted to let you all know why I didn't update and that I will continue the regular schedule next week!
Also:
I got freaking jumpscared when I looked out of the tour bus. I don't know why he's here. I didn't even know there was still material about him until I saw this ad on the back of a double-decker bus. I don't really know what to think about this.
I give thee, more Tang doodles!
I put more effort into this as it's more like a character sheet than anything. I also made a weapon design I am happy with! I think it fits Tang well. (also, don't mention how drastically inconsistent my style is. It just morphs whenever I try to draw this guy I guess)
Also, here are some close-ups of the writing. If you can't read my chicken scratch, then it is listed under the images.
Image 1: Wrapped hands
You don't wanna know how long this man(?) spent annotating this thing
Image 2: weapon from dead friend
Oooo, spooky
A World Without Him
Chapter 8
(TW minor violence against furniture and some self-loathing thoughts)
Tang could hear the voices through the piles of broken bookshelves and ceiling bits. He didn't think they were hallucinations, as they got more frantic near his safe area and how he heard big pieces being carefully dragged outside.
He didn't know what to do. It wasn't like he could move all the layers covering him himself. Maybe if he yelled out, someone could finally hear him.
"H-hello?! Is anyone out there?!" He shouted with a shakey voice. Almost right after, he could hear the talking stop and someone sprinting over the rubble towards his area.
"Hey there; I'm with the Metrapolis first responders! Where are you?!" A woman yelled out into the crash site.
Tang scrambles up to the edge of his collapsed prison. "I'm down here! There's lots of debris covering me, but I'm alright! Please try digging to my left first. My friend is down there, and please hurry!" He yelled with a bit of desperation.
"Ok, stay there and don't move sir! We'll have more people here soon to clear all this out!" She shouted in response, most likely sprinting towards where the ceiling fell...
Tang decided to stop that train of thought. He needed to wait for the backup to arrive; someone to haul him out of here. Like always, he supposes.
So he waits. The unusual silence gives way to the grating of stone, wood, and drywall as he knows they're digging out Allan. He'll be okay. Tang stopped him from running right underneath the collapsed ceiling, so he's still alive. He must be.
Tang also knew when reinforcements arrived. The harsher steps from heavy-duty boots along with the many steps he hears overlap basically gave them away.
He stayed silent, though, so as not to disturb the now very delicate shell of debris surrounding him.
He waited for a while before he could hear a big chunck getting thrown from his left and on top of his area. The added weight caused pieces to break off and his "ceiling" to give way, now with it barely crushing his skull.
He gasped, then coughed from the debris that was shaken loose, covering him in a layer of dust. Pieces of splintered wood and some jagged metal now stick out in the corners.
More yelling started after that. Tang mostly just focused on his breathing again.
When he got back to his senses yet again, he heard picks and gloved hands clawing at his barrier of debris.
He almost cried in relief as the moonlight stone through the new cracks in his dome. He slowly watched as the hole got bigger and bigger, with more and more hands helping to carefully dig him out.
Once the hole was big enough, someone reached their hand down for Tang to grab. He gripped it tightly as he was slowly risen out of his confines.
He blinked at the sudden change in light, still out of it from his time trapped in that place. He was suddenly coerced to an emergency vehicle in the library parking lot, seeing the many paramedics wheeling in people from the library storage area.
He looked at his surroundings as they walked; he could see the ceiling was in total shreds at this point, with the standing walls looking like swiss cheese.
All the people who made it to the storage unit gained only minor injuries, as they all seemed to be walking, talking, and didn't have any blood on them.
As he continued to move towards the emergency vehicle, the ground covered in rubble turned to concrete as they made it to the sidewalk. He could feel his shoulder throbbing with pain as he sat down for the medics on site.
They did everything routinely, giving him a shock blanket, testing his cognitive ability, and so what. "You're all right, sir. Your shoulder just needs padding, and no sudden movements for it to heal up properly. You're very lucky, and you can go back to your residence now."
Tang just nodded in response, seeing them walk back towards another shock patient. He slumped into himself and took off his glasses, rubbing his temple.
Why couldn't I ever do something right, he thought. His thoughts stirred to Allan. Is he really okay? I should've done better. What if he's dead?! He can't be. He'll be okay. He'll be fine. You'll be fine.
He grumbled to himself, stopping his train of thought. He put his glasses back on and stood up, looking out for any free paramedics to ask about Allan.
He had only taken a few steps before a group of paramedics came barreling into the parking lot, rushing past him with many of them hurrying a gurney to the closest ambulance.
Tang could only catch a glimpse of the patient, but he saw their hoodie. Tang almost threw up when he saw him. It was Allan. Allan, who now had a severed leg. The bloody end of his leg dripped red liquid down onto the ground, with the jagged bone jutting out the end.
"Allan!" Tang yelled out, running up to the gurney. He was held back by the other paramedics, their words becoming jumbled as he only focused on Allan.
The rest of him didn't look much better from what Tang could see. Many scrapes and bruises covered his arms and legs, with debris covering his entire body. His eyes were glassed over with his matted hair falling on top of them. But he still had a heartbeat, even if it was a faint one.
Tang could have sworn he saw those eyes look towards him, but then the ambulance doors were closed before he could do anything else, the vehicle speeding off after they backed Tang away from getting hit.
All Tang could do was watch as they drove away, with another paramedic guiding him to a place to sit down. He had asked where the ambulance would drop off Allan so he could see him, but he was denied as he wasn't a guardian or family member.
So he walked away, back through the now dark sidewalk, and on his way home. His steps were sluggish, moving slowly as his mind went blank.
His body moved on its own as he walked into the building, up the many flights of stairs, and took out his keys to unlock his apartment.
He locked the door immeadietly after he got inside, taking off his shoes and throwing them at the wall. His other things got lost in the rubble...
Yeah, go and worry about your precious sketch book and comics as Allan is in the hospital.
Tang grimaced and looked at his apartment, everything tidy and stacked together in organized piles from his morning spree.
You were a hassle yet again. Always being dragged along because of your own incompetence.
Everything in his apartment seemed wrong. Too clean, too tidy, too nice for someone like Tang.
If you weren't there, maybe Allan would have made it to the storage room.
He didn't like the look of the room.
He could have been safe instead of carrying your weak ass around that library.
He walked up his coffee table, a vase with a single flower, and two stacks of books and papers on top of the brittle table.
He might have made it out alive if you didn't have him die-
He violently grabbed the glass vase and threw it against an empty wall.
*CRASH*
Glass scatters everywhere, some of the pieces embedding into his flimsy walls. Some even nicked Tang, but he didn't notice yet. The water from it coated the wall in a dark color.
It's your fault.
His heartbeat pounded through his ears. He took the pile papers next, ripping his useless scribbles up repeatedly until they became only scraps. His shoulder throbs with pain.
He's injured, and it's your fault.
He runs to his books after, taking handfuls and throwing them in every which way. Some hit picture frames, scattering even more glass, while some hit his other piles, causing them to tip and fall over with books, clothes, and other trinkets.
He's dead because of YOU.
"SHUT, UP!" Tang yelled. He swung his hand down onto the coffee table with startling accuracy. A sickening crunch resounded through his apartment. He could feel his tears run hot against his face.
He gasped.
The coffee table was now split in two, the impact of his hand steaming from small embers on the splintered wood. His eyes widened as he looked to his balled up hand. It had a faint orange hue.
But as Tang blinked, it was gone. Yet, when he looked back at the table, it was still steaming, just now simmering down to a small smoke.
Now, only his labored breathing could be heard as he stood still in the middle of his apartment. He could only stare at the destruction he had caused.
Now this looks perfect.
He smacked his own forehead, dragging his hand down his face. He wiped his eyes as a small breeze blew through the apartment. Maybe one of the windows got dislodged from his episode.
Tang sighed heavily before stepping carefully around the mess he made, flopping onto the ragged couch that somehow survived. His phone jumped up from his added weight before hitting the glass covered floor.
Oh, yeah. I threw it there this morning when it died...
Tang sighed slightly before picking his phone off the floor, dusting off tiny glass shards, and pressing the power button. Nothing came up. He grumbled before trekking over to his bedroom and plugging it into the charger.
He threw his glasses on his bedside table before falling face first onto his bed. The blurred shapes of his room comforted him as he rolled onto his back.
His eyes felt droopy as the colors around blurred even more. They shifted and coerced into a soft sunset orange-
*BANG, BANG, BANG*
"Tang! You better open this door RIGHT NOW!"
Tang sat up quickly, breathing fast as the knocking continued. He scrambled up and out of his bed before running to the front door, careful not to step on anymore scraps on his messy floor.
He opened the door right before his guest could harshly knock yet again. He almost had to dodge the pink fist coming his way before it pulled back suddenly.
Pigsy on all his glory stood outside Tangs door with a very peeved look on his face. Tang doesn't know if he could handle being berated for whatever he had apparently done to Pigsy after everything today.
But to his surprise, Pigsy's expression quickly turned to one of deep concern as he looked Tang up and down. "What is it, Pigsy?" Tang asked in a scratchy voice.
Pigsy didn't respond for a good minute. But when he did, almost nothing could stop that man's wrath as he started to stomp into Tang's apartment. "What the hell happened to you, Tang?! Everyone has been texting and calling you, and you never picked up! And now you look like total shit with your outfit in complete shambles! We couldn't reach you through anything, and I had to come up her myself-"
Tang hurridly pulled Pigsy back from his apartment carpet, with Pigsy now fully aware of the new "decor" he had recently put in.
Pigsy was seemingly about to go on another rant after a brief glance at his apartment, but Tang quickly hushed him. "Please, Pigsy. I don't think I can handle anything else happening today. I feel like absolute shit, I got stuck under a building for hours, and all I want right now is some peace and quiet. I promise to talk to you about this tomorrow, but for now, just give me a day, please."
Pigsy seemed conflicted at this, looking at Tang, and then past him at his apartment a few times. He eventually sighs in defeat but quickly puts up some gusto. "Tomorrow. Come by tomorrow in the morning, and you'll tell me everything. If I don't see you by noon, I'll go here and drag you there myself."
Tang just smiles at Pigsy; it's a bit strained but still genuine. "Thank you." Tang says softly. Pigsy just nodded, looking sadly at Tang as he closed the door.
Tang leaned onto the door, making sure that Pigsy's footsteps were actually leaving before letting out a breath of relief.
When he finally made it back to his bed, Tang was convinced he could drop in a heartbeat if he fell onto his bed right now.
But of course, he never got the chanceas his phone came alight and buzzed like over and over after it finally powered back on. He startled a bit, sighed, and then picked up his phone before sitting at the edge of his bed.
His phone had been blowing up with messages, missed calls, and... ads about textbook sales? Tang quickly saved the ad for later before looking through his call list.
Through his cracked phone screen, he just huffed when he saw about 26 missed calls.
Most of them were from Pigsy, with 6 from Sandy, three from Mei, and one from Mk. He hesitated a second before opening his texts. He winced as he saw there were over 40 unread messages.
Some were from the group chat, most of the first ones being pictures of Mk after the library fight holding up cheese tea a block from the library...
Tang scrolled past the pictures and instead looked for his name in any of the unread texts. He found out he was only mentioned after Mk specified where he had his most recent fight.
🌟 The Gang 🌟
8:08 PM
Mk: Yeah! It wss a HUGE guy witha a weird lookin sword this time
Pigsy: you sure you're doing ok kid?
Mk: yes im fine
Mk: the ppace we fought is in way worse shape thogh
Mei: Mk's right. When I went to pick him up, the place had been rly totaled! With the ceiling completely destroyed 'nd the walls left in complete shambles!
Sandy: Was everyone involved okay???
Mei: don't worry sm Sandy
Mei: Mk saw everyone head to the DA shelter, and they all came out fine afterwards
Mk: yeah at least the guy I fought had some sense not to aim for the flor
Pigsy: they had an entire shelter ready? Where did you even fight, kid?
Mk: it was at the Metrapolis Library
Mk: im so sad too because I can't get anymore comics from that place for awhile
Pigsy: Wait, isn't that where Tang started working a day ago?
Mei: oh yeah! I didn't see him come out of the DA shelter tho
Sandy: has anyone contacted him since yesterday?
8:09 PM
Pigsy: everyone try calling him
8:11 PM
Sandy: Tang hasn't responded to my texts or calls
Mk: i ended up having to call after texting him so many times nd he didn't pick up
Mei: he hasn't responded to me either
Pigsy: I'll keep calling him to see if he'll pick up
8:17 PM
Pigsy: he hasn't responded even once
Mk: does anyone know where he is?
Sandy: maybe someone should go to his apartment?
Mei: he has his own apartment????
Pigsy: I'm going up there to see him. I'll tell you guys if he responds or if he's even there
Tang turned off his phone after reading the last text. He could only sigh at the messages before moving to turn off all his lights, sweep most of the scattered glass to the sides, and close the open window.
When he finally got to fall onto his bed again, all he could think about was Allan. If he was okay, if he was alive, and if he could find a way to find him again.
Well, he should try that tomorrow after Pigsy's. I could try to ask about his name in any of the nearby hospitals... maybe if I... try enough of them...
And then Tang succumbed to his exhaustion, falling into a deep sleep as his world went black.
Previous | Next | Start
Tang doodle!
This is his regular outfit in Soul Searching. For him, it has faster movement and is better for agility. The weapon design isn't concrete as I just wanted him holding a fancy looking spear.
This is so good!!!! I especially love the staff!
I was at another con today and took more pics in my Tang cosplay, so might as well post them :)
★ Soul Searching ★ 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tang had been in that bathroom for hours, taking deep, controlled breaths to calm himself down. He would never have wanted this to happen; not ever.
Mk, not knowing what he's gotten himself into drives his thoughts to that staff. He kept thinking back to Mk, too, how he would have that thing for the rest of his life...
He really hoped this was just a horrible dream his head made up.
However, his delusions were soon broken as the doors to the noodle shop slammed open. "Tang! We need to leave for Flower Fruit Mountain now!" Pigsy yelled throughout the restaurant.
Tang came running into the lobby. "What!?" He had a distressed look on his face before he shifted it to one of bewilderment. "Wait, that place actually exists, too?!"
Pigsy just grabbed Tang's hand, dragging him out of the building before responding. "Yeah, that place apparently exists, too, and we need a map to get there. That's why we need you and all your books on those myths you're obsessed with to make it there."
Tang stalled at that, looking back at the noodle shop. "Well, I left it in the shop... y'know, the one with all the sticky notes..."
Pigsy just stared, sighed, then let got of Tang's hand. "Just go quickly. We need to get there as soon as possible."
Tang just nodded before running back into the restaurant and sitting down onto a bar stool. He took the book off the counter and erratically flipped through the pages, settling on a hand drawn map.
He stared at it; taking it in that this is reality now. He took a final deep breath before pocketing the book and heading back outside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"AHHHH-"
Pigsy rushed through the city, carrying Tang on his back. Tang, seemingly not being used to this speed, was screaming in terror the entire time.
When they finally reached Sandy's boat, Tang was panting and leaning on one of the rails. "Don't just, *huff* pick me up and run like that again!" He managed between breaths.
Pigsy just scoffed. "It was the quickest way to get here. You would've slowed us down on foot." Tang seemed offended, but before he could respond, Sandy came out of the boat door and onto the deck.
He hulked over Tang and Pigsy before bending down with a smile on his face. "Hello there! You must be Tang; nice to meet you!" Sandy took Tang's arm and yanked it up and down, leaving Tang a bit disheveled.
Tang quickly fixed his outfit and hair before Mei popped out of the open door and started to speak. "Hey Sandy, is Pigsy back with Tang yet? We really need to get going."
"Over here, Mei." Pigsy gruffed out, getting Mei's attention. "Hey, you guys are back! Now Mr. Tang, you really need to give Sandy that map." Mei stated before walking back into the boat.
Tang just sighed as he walked forward to Sandy, taking his book out of his jacket and reluctantly putting it in the awaiting hands. "The map is at the end of the book. Please be careful with it."
Sandy smiled at Tang as he straightened his back. "Of course! I won't let anything happen to it. Let me treat you to a cup of tea when this is over."
Tang smiled back. "I'll hold you to that." He promised as he walked by the boat door and sat down on one of the deck benches.
Pigsy frowned at that, a worried look passing over his face as he looked at Sandy. "Something's wrong. I don't know what, but something's wrong with Tang." Pigsy looked back to where Tang sat down. Tang is staring at the open ocean, seemingly lost in thought.
Sandy hummed, "I could tell. That's why I offered some tea. He's stressed over something, but I'm not entirely sure what."
Pigsy sighed. "Let's just get this over with. Find the Monkey King and let him handle this." Sandy nodded before going back inside the boat, leaving the door slightly open.
Pigsy gave one last glance to Tang before going inside the boat and closing the door behind him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The boat ride was long for Tang. The inevitable slowly creeping forth as they got closer and closer to Flower Fruit Mountain. The waves became more fierce as they progressed.
Tang could already feel the heat and smell the ash as they approached they outer ring; a ring around Flower Fruit Mountain that consisted only of volcanoes. The lava in the water stops boats from getting through with all the volcanic rock in the way.
He still can't fathom why he's even here again. All they needed was his map to get Sun Wukong so he could go clean up one of his poorly-dealt-with problems.
But he's already on the boat, getting closer and closer to the one place he has tried to avoid all these years.
Tang just sighs as he looks towards the choppy water surrounding the boat. Sea breeze blowing through his hair and the occasional sea spray flowing up to the deck.
He almost misses the water as Sandy carefully docks the boat at the edge of the volcanic ring, taking out metal stakes and large rope to secure it. Mk jumps out first, followed by Mei, then Pigsy and Sandy.
"What is this?" Mk shouted out loud, gripping the staff tightly. Tang walked up to the rail, leaning over it so Mk could hear. "It's the defense measure of Flower Fruit Mountain. This ring of volcanoes protects it from unwanted visitors."
"Wait, does that include us?" Pigsy suddenly asks. Tang just shrugs at that. "Well, we better be quick, anyways. Demon Bull King isn't just gonna disappear." Mk suddenly says as he goes running into the ring.
"Mk, wait on us!" Pigsy calls out to an Mk growing smaller and smaller. "At least watch out for the lava walls!" Tang shouts to Mk, if a bit frantically.
"Wait, what- OOMF" Mk fell back onto his butt as magma spouted from a crack in the volcanic rock, simmering the edges of his Har.
"You better run after him." Tang groaned, rubbing his temples while leaning on the rail. Sandy and Mei immeadietly ran to Mk's side while Pigsy hesitated, looking back to Tang.
"Aren't you going to come with us?" Pigsy asked, leaning on the rail before looking to Mei, who was frantically patting Mk's head to put out the flames with Sandy fanning Mk with the same motive.
Tang's small smile strained on his face as he also looked to the trio. He took another deep breath before looking back to Pigsy. "I don't think I'd be useful out there. What could I do if a random villain showed up? Bore them to death with my constant rambling?" Tang huffed at his own comment.
"You guys will be okay without me this time. Besides, I don't want to go out in that heat and ruin all this hard work." Tang flipped his hair for added effect. This got a small chuckle out of Pigsy, so Tang counted that as a win.
"Ok, I'll stop botherin' ya. You can look after the boat while we're gone. Don't set anything on fire." Pigsy said with a serious tone. Tang full on laughed at that, doubling over the rail.
"Haha! Don't worry about it, Pigsy. I'll be fine. Just make sure you and everyone else stay safe on the way there, too. Also, make sure to step back if you feel vibrations under your feet."
Pigsy huffed in response, picking himself off the railing and starting to walk towards the group. He waves back to Tang before booking it up to the group and pulling them back before more magma could roast them alive.
Tang had waved back, watching as the bickering group slowly faded into the smoke and ash. After their figure were no longer visible, he let his face fall before heading into the boat, locking the door and sliding back against it.
He put his head into his knees, wrapping his arms around himself.
"You'll be fine." He whispered. "You have moved on from it all. You can't be affected by his mere presence or mention anymore." His vision started to blur.
Then Tang fell back into old habits, taking deep, slow breaths to regain his composure. In, wait, then out. Again and again.
After many rounds of breathing, he was finally able to raise his head, letting it smack against the boat door. He groaned, slowly stood up, and finally made his way to an actual chair.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tang had found himself wandering around the boat, picking up anything that seemed interesting and just rolling with how everything worked.
The cats had been avoiding him, hissing at his presence and then jumping onto the nearest surface away from him. Tang had just sighed as he picked up a boat manual and sat as a comfy blue couch.
The book was nothing particularly interesting, but Tang needed something to keep his brain occupied (and to silence his anxiety). It worked for the most part.
However, his thoughts always wondered to Mk. Why was he even able to lift the damn thing, how he had found that place where it was buried, and what his connections were to Sun Wukong.
Tang was sure Mk had no ill intentions; his feelings were like an open book to Tang. This is how he had noticed the shift in Mk to begin with; how he had changed drastically.
And what was Sun Wukong planning with a successor? Tang could tell from the smothering gold covering Mk's spirit. Why would he let someone else wield the staff so suddenly, giving all his powers to a literal teenager?! And how would this affect everyone Mk is close to!?
Tang couldn't focus on the manual anymore.
He sighed. Stop thinking so much about it. This has nothing to do with you, he thought. You're completely fine; unaffected. It's not like he would've-
*WOOOOSH*
The boat creaks as a harsh gust of wind sends it tilting back and forth. Tang fell onto the ground with the furniture sliding along with him. With the therapy cats strewn across the entire inside, Tang quickly ran to unlock the door and look out from the deck.
He blanched at what he saw. Freaking PRINCESS IRON FAN was BATTLING THE GANG.
How did she find them!? Shit shit shit shit this was bad. He couldn't tell much from the distance, but Tang knew that this lady was mainly going against Mk. The continuous recoil from the staff was enough indication.
Plumes of smoke kept rising up at odd angles, with rumbles coming quickly and shaking up the boat even more. Tang quickly jumped over the rail and grounded his feet to the volcanic rock.
He started to madly pull out the metal pegs one by one, throwing them up onto the deck and wrapping all the rope on his shoulders as he could feel the gang getting closer and closer. The recoiling had stopped, and this is what worried him the most.
He barely took the small quakes into account as he finally got the last peg up on the deck, quickly jumping, grabbing the railing, and pulling himself over again. He could see them running straight for the boat, and he quickly through the rope/pegs into an open container before shutting it.
Now, he could clearly see their silhouettes as they ran from the now VERY active volcanoes. He could see Pigsy, Sandy, Mei... wait. Where's Mk!?
Tang's train of thought was shattered as everyone jumped up onto the deck, making it dip before Sandy rushed to the wheel. He steered that boat away from the ring so fast that no one had time to get inside.
Now they're silently speeding away. Total silence encompasses everyone out on deck. Pigsy was sitting down, arm around Mei's shoulders. Tang was right next to them, gripping the rail as he looked blankly at the ocean.
"What happened." Tang voiced blankly. Pigsy looked up with a concerned expression. "Tang....." Tang snapped his neck to look directly at Pigsy. "What. Happened." He repeated.
Pigsy closed his eyes for a second, slowly rubbing a sobbing Mei's back. "She... she was after the staff and took it from Mk. In the process she... she blasted him and sent him flying somewhere, and we don't know where he is or if he even survived the blast." Pigsy's voice wavered as he responded.
A shocked expression took over Tang's face before he schooled it into distraught expression. He never said anything back for the entire ride. Just looking back out at the ocean, a blank look stuck on his face.
He knew Mk wasn't dead. Before they ran, Tang could still clearly feel the strong thrum of Mk's spirit, even if it was weaker than before.
But Tang couldn't tell them this without proof; proof Tang couldn't willingly give. So, he kept quiet and eventually put a hand on Pigsy's shoulder for the remainder of the ride.
When the boat was finally parked, only Sandy moved to secure it and turn the engine off, eventually joining everyone else on the deck silently.
Tang couldn't take it anymore. "We can't just sit here doing nothing." He suddenly sputtered. Everyone looked to him with concern. "Demon Bull King and his family have already taken too much from us. We can't just sit here and do nothing while they continue what we already tried to stop." Tang looked up to everyone.
"Mk would've kept going. He would've wanted everyone to be safe and to be happy again. We have to finish what we started. For Mk, and for everything else we might lose at the end of this. We need to be strong for Mk, to honor his memory by helping his last effort. We can at least try for his sake."
This seemed to have shaken everyone out of their grief, even if by just a bit. "*sniff* yeah! We need to kick those guys butts for what they did!" Mei shouted out, wiping her tears as she stood up.
"There will be many robots trying to kill us, that with the added main family will not be east for us alone." Pigsy warned, rising back up next to Tang.
"We know. But we have to do something. Anything to help fight against the Demon Bull King. For Mk." Tang stated
"For Mk!" Mei shouted.
"For the kid!" Yelled Pigsy.
"For MK!" Sandy exclaimed.
For Mk.
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Hahahhahahbahbaannahha /vpos /gen /lh
OH MY GOSH!!!! AHHHHHH/pos
Omg thank you!!! I love your drawings of Allan and Tang! Allan jumpscare is just the best. These boys are so traumatized fr. Also, don't worry! Allan isn't dead yet :D
Small Tang au ramble.
Along with the new A World Without Him chapter, I just want to shout out jinglingeyes for always commenting on my Tang Au chapter posts. Stupid Tumblr doesn't let me reply, so I wanted to show my appreciation through this. I always love seeing your comments, and I can't wait for your reactions to the latest chapter! I hope you and all my other readers have a good day/night!
A World Without Him
Chapter 7
(TW some violence, a collapsing building, and someone having a panic attack)
Tang was back there. Again. The void with the voices, the hands, the dragging, the scraping, the orange.
He was tired at this point. Of every night he spent getting dragged over and over just for someone sick amusement if he had to guess.
Maybe this was his punishment for something in his past life. To take his sanity and break it bit by bit until he couldn't take the sight of this place anymore.
But this time was also different.
Only silence met his ears as he floated. Nothing grabbing, glowing, or whispering in his ears. A sense of foreboding welled up in his chest.
Then he heard sounds. It wasn't anything like the previous encounters he had with this place. Only continuous buzzing reached his ears instead of the usual incomprehensible whispers.
Tang closed his eyes, hoping someone would let him stay away from whatever was making that noise. And as he said previously, he's never been that lucky.
The buzzing suddenly became violent as Tang was pushed upwards by a strong force. He could barely breathe as he clawed at whatever was dragging him up before realizing... they were cicadas. Bright orange cicadas.
Thousands, no, hundreds of thousands of cicadas were swarmed together. They were buzzing and flying around him like a barrier as that thing kept pulling him up.
Tang could hear small whispers coming from them, and he wasn't sure if he was even alive right now as the cicadas landed on his scarf. The whispers loud and clear.
'Stay' 'Don't leave' 'You have to stay here' 'Danger' 'You can't go' 'Danger' 'Somethings coming' 'You won't be able to handle it' 'Stop struggling' 'Danger' 'DANger' 'DANGER'-
'JUST. STAY. HERE.'
The cicadas started to glow, almost radioactive before blinding Tang until everything was just a nice, bright, neon orange.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Waking up in a cold sweat had become a reoccurring thing for Tang as he sat up violently, taking in harbored breaths.
He smacked a palm to his head, rubbing his temple before throwing himself back onto the bed. He had woken up before his alarm again.
So, he had decided to pull himself together and start getting ready. It would give him more time to pack extra snacks for him and Allan, which was a good bonus in Tang's opinion.
When he finally had a plan in motion, he pulled himself up and out of bed. He lazily walked through his small apartment, taking his brush from the bedside table to the bathroom.
And then he sat on the toilet seat while he brushed his hair, not styling it in any way before putting the brush down and taking up a toothbrush.
Now, with his mouth tingling from the toothpaste, Tang went to his fridge to look for something good for today.
He settled for some apple slices, watermelon, and some jumbo blueberrie boxes he had found for 40% off. He threw them into some plastic containers before fixing up a small bagel with green tea to drink later for lunch.
It's about 6:08 AM now, and he's fully ready for work. Which he needs to be at in a couple of hours. And the walk is only 15 minutes...
So he decided to busy himself with menial tasks he never got around to doing, like piling his books by genre and author or rearranging his closet of knick knacks from over the years. Anything to keep his mind and hands busy.
He was waist deep in the closet when his alarm suddenly went off next to his ear, making him jump and smack his phone with a good amount of force. "Owwwww," Tang whined as he picked up his newly cracked and dead phone.
He cursed as he tried all the buttons, nothing turned on, then walked to his couch, and threw it on the cushions. He sat himself right next to it as he stared up to the ceiling again.
He laid there only seconds before sighing heavily and popping himself back up, grabbing his messanger bag and walking out the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The walk to the library was uneventful; it was plain, even. Nothing caught his attention, and everything seemed eerily calm with only one or two people out and about like him.
It was probably because he left earlier than usual, but Tang still had a bad feeling.
Maybe it was because of the lack of commentary his thoughts usually made. No snark comments or observations popped into his brain like they usually did for the past weeks.
He's glad they're gone, to be honest. He thought he was going insane for the first few round of them, and this probably means he's getting over whatever he was stuck with.
The library slowly came into sight as he continued to walk. He was almost right on time as he unlocked the doors, letting himself in with his badge.
He walked steadily to his desk, throwing his messanger bag to the side and plopping himself in his chair, mentally readying himself to start opening up the library.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Allan came about 10 minutes later, surprised at Tang arriving before him and even starting to power up the library's computers.
"Hah! Nice to see you up and early!" Allan greeted him as he went towards the back to put away his backpack and jacket.
Tang snorted before answering. "Heh, not by choice for your information." He jested, followed by a quick laugh from Allan.
Allan came back fairly quickly, walking up to the front of Tang's desk. "So, what are we doing today?" He asked.
"It's about the same, just without the overwhelming decor and crowds of children like yesterday," Tang replied, getting up from his spot to start looking for the carts.
Which... he forgot where they were located. He internally sighed before looking back to Allan. "Do you remember where the carts are?" He asked in a grated tone.
Allan just laughed at Tang's crappy memory and gestured to follow him through the shelves.
After they got the carts and put up the assigned books, not much else was left for them to do. Nothing was missing, broken, or in need of reorganizing.
Tang was fine with this as he just pulled out some books from his messanger bag to read, but Allan became restless. He kept pacing through the library, seemingly in need of something to do.
When he finally sat down next to Tang after wearing himself out, Tang thought of a way to help. "Hey, Allan?" He asked.
"Yeah?" Allan answered, a bit absent-mindedly. "Do you like Monkey King?" "Monkey King? Well, uh, yeah, I like to read a bit of fiction based around him." Allan said quickly, seemingly not ready for the question.
Tang smirked before pulling another book out of his bag. "I have an extra book here called Monkey Cop: the Scarlet Tape. It's a mystery/action comic based on Monkey King as a cop, solving crime. It is a bit bloody, but it has amazing art and a good storyline. This is the first from the series, and I can bring the next editions if you like it."
Allan seemed a bit hesitant, staring at the comic for a hood second. Tang huffed, amused, before speaking again. "It's not like we have anything else to do, kid. And besides, I've been waiting for someone else to get into this series for a while so I can rant about theories with them."
Allan sighed before taking the book out of Tang's hand and opening up to the first page. "Okay, okay. I'll read this. It does seem interesting, but if it turns out trash, never recommend me a book again." Allan half joked.
Tang laughed at his declaration, turning back to his own book. "Sure, but I promise it's good."
Time passed by as the duo just read in each other's company, Tang having to pause and bookmark a couple of times to answer questions or check out books.
Allan started reading out of boredom but eventually seemed really invested, mu.bling theories and audibly gasping at some scenes. Tang took it as a win before reading a passage from his own book again.
About an hour and a half had passed before Allan closed the comic dramatically, slamming it on the desk and leaned back in his chair.
Tang calmly closed his own book before looking back to Allan. "Sooo~ what did'ya think?"
"That book is a freaking rollercoaster. Like, the police captain being in cahoots with the criminal undercity was wild." Allan finally answered.
"Haha, yeah. I was so shocked when I first found out. I'm just glad he isn't immeadietly offed in future chapters." Allan twisted his head to Tang. "Wait, he doesn't get killed from being revealed? I thought for sure he would be dead by the next book."
"Heh, nah. He goes through his own character arc, too. I can bring the rest of the current series if you're interested." Tang offers. "Really?! Oh my gosh, thank you!! I just need to find out how Monkey King finds the real culprit behind the Scarlet tape murders!"
He has lots of energy, just like Mk. Tang thought. He chuckled to himself as Allan continued to ramble to him about Monky Cop, adding his theories and opinions about the series here and there.
"And what even happened to the junior officer they lost during the scuffle from chapter 17?! She just disappears, and no one talks about it?!"
Tang replied with the same amount of enthusiasm. "That's what I've been saying! She barely gets referenced in the future books, but she seems to have so many questions and mysteries around her. Apparently, she wasn't even registered at the station-"
BEEEEEP, BEEEEEP, BEEEEP-
An alarm sounded from Allan's phone, shutting down the conversation. Other alarms also sounded throughout the library, echoing through the quiet halls.
Allan quickly checks his phone as his smile drops. "Crap, it's a DA alert." Tang frowns at that. "Another demon attack already?"
"Yeah, apparently." Allan huffed out, shaking slightly as he and Tang stood up together. "Of course now we have to go through the DA protocols." Tang sighed before turning on the library intercom.
"Okay, everyone. A demon attack has been spotted in the city. We advise everyone to follow the yellow arrows stuck everywhere in the library. It'll lead to stairs going down to a reinforced storage-"
The ground suddenly shakes beneath Tang and Allan, causing some books to fall off shelves and the intercom to shut off. "Please go fast!" Yelled Allan as he took Tang's arm and started to quickly maneuver through the books.
Key word tried, as another, more violent shake toppled over the shelves, blocking their way. "Ugh, we need to go the scenic route through the back sections!" Tang shouted, letting Allan drag him again.
They twisted and turned between the layout, trying to get to the room quickly through the enormous building. Small shakes continued, shoving more books to the floor and making the old building creak with every tremor.
"Go left!" Tang yelled out directions as he knew these back sections of the library well. Dust and small debris landed on them from the displacement of the old and unused spaces.
Suddenly, a large tremor came again, knocking even more shelves down with it, some cracking into pieces. Tang and Allan also lost their balance, falling to the floor with a large thud.
"Aw, shit." Tang groaned as he propped himself onto his elbows. Allan was in better shape, just landing onto his back and sitting up right after.
"We have to go now!" Allan yelled, panicking as he grabbed Tang's arm again, ready to sprint off.
But Tang doesn't move from his spot. "Don't. Move." Tang orders Allan, pulling him down to Tang's level. "What are you doing!? We need to run-" "It's almost here. We won't make it time." Tang interrupts, quickly looking over the walls and ceiling.
Allan just stares at him before protesting. "What are you even-"
*BANG*
The loud sound shocked Allan into silence as he looked to the source. A giant hole was suddenly in the library ceiling, with debris falling into the lobby.
Then he noticed what caused the hole. A giant gray demon, at least 8 feet tall, holding a massive sword, fighting against a kid with a red staff.
"Is that...?" Allan trailed off, staring at the standoff between the Monkey kid and that demon. "We need to hide." Tang suddenly whispered as he dragged Allan behind a toppled bookcase.
They can only wait as the fight continued in the library. The gray demon had a knack for dodging Mk's staff, directing sharp slashes afterward when Mk was vulnerable. All those attacks only sliced walls or bookshelves in half, though, luckily missing Allan and Tang.
Then Mk seemed to direct the demons' attacks upwards, probably so they didn't hit any more of the library. However, the ceiling started to crumble from the constant sword strikes, eventually causing one side to start collapsing.
Bigger and bigger pieces of drywall started to surround Tang and Allan. The walls start to crack with the ceiling falling in chunks. "We can't stay here!" Allan shouts, trying to stand up but stopping his efforts after a chunk nearly misses his head.
"Then what are we supposed to do!?" Tang shouts, still in his crouched position behind the acrumbled bookshelf. The rumbling got worse and worse as more pieces started to fall.
"I don't know, but we have to do something!" Allan shouts as he stands up. "We have to go back to the entrance!"
"What!?" Tang shouts, alarmed. "But that's in their fighting path! We might get hit with all those extra ceiling bits crashing down, or worse!"
Allan doesn't say anything in response, just staring at the exit. Tang can't focus, only taking in panicked breaths. But, what can they do? They don't have any protection or powers to get through that. It'll take a miracle to survive!
Tang looks up at the cracked ceiling that's slowly caving in closer and closer. But, if they stay here...
Another sword slash hits the wall above them, having it crack at an alarming degree.
He looks back to Allan. "If we do this, we have to go right now!" Allan's eyes widen before shifting to a look of determination.
Allan grabs Tang's arm again before bolting, trying his best to dodge the falling debris and attacks from the fight in the middle. Him and Tang gained small cuts and bruises from the rocks they couldn't dodge, one certain chunk hitting Tang straight in the shoulder, but they kept running.
They jumped through the splintered frames and piles pieces of wall, ducking under odd stick-outs from the walls or collapsed building. His glasses got cracked from being snagged when ducking under debris, but they still had to keep running. To make it back to the entrance.
When the light from the open doors reached their vision, Tang almost cried in relief. It was still a good bit away, but it was in their sights!
They kept running, even when their legs felt like they would fall off at any moment, when they felt like they were going off fumes.
The entrance was almost 20 feet away now. A small rumble from an attack, cracked pieces of the building falling down, the splinyered bookshelf frames blocking their way.
He was almost there. They were almost there! Tang couldn't believe it, but it was right in front of him-
'Stop.'
Tang faltered slightly, tripping over a piece of drywall, but recovered quickly.
'Stop running' 'There's danger!' You have to stop'
Oh great, now they're back and trying to get me killed-
'STOP' 'YOU HAVE TO STOP' 'HE'LL KILL YOU' 'STOP NOW' 'STAY THERE' 'STOP RUNNING' 'STOP STOP STOP STOP-'
Tang jerked his arm away from Allan, stopping in his tracks and reaching to his head. Allan ran a good few feet ahead of him before stopping and turning back to yell. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"
Suddenly, the ceiling had been struck a final time, sending most of it to the floors below. Tang stared in horror as he saw it fall near the entrance. "ALLAN-"
But he was too late. Allan started to run again, but he was too far away from the entrance to get out in time. Rubble filled Tang's vision before he could see what happened.
"Allan!" Tang shouted as he tried to run towards the entrance. But the next part of the ceiling suddenly collapsed, sending straight for where he was.
Tang could only try to take refuge in the dark corners of the library, against the wall holding his head in his hands.
He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, pumping erratically as he took uneven breaths. He knew he was shaking as tears rolled down his face.
Tang didn't know how long he was in that position for, only focusing on his breathing and trying to avoid the falling pieces of ceiling...
Wait. His breathing slowly steadied as he came to realize everything was silent. No rumbling, no breaken glass or large thuds from falling debris, no sounds of a fight or falling books.
He slowly raised his head to his surroundings. He was completely encased in broken bookshelves and broken pieces from the walls and ceiling. Slivers of light shine through the holes to his small area of refuge.
He was almost completely unharmed, except for the throbbing pain in his left shoulder and head. All he could hear from outside honking horns and a strong breeze flowing through the wreckage.
Tang just put his head back into his arms, letting tears roll down in this complete silence. He really didn't know what he did to deserve this.
Previous | Next | Start
★ Soul Searching ★ 1
(Oh, look! Another Tang au)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(TW some descriptions of throwing up, but it's very brief)
Sunlight shines onto Pisgy's early in the afternoon, bathing everything in a warm, cozy light. The sign outside is shown brightly to the busy streets.
The weathering on the door and outside counter gives it a homey look. Everything to the way the windows are opened just enough to let the smell of noodles out, to the chalk announcement board with swoopy letters making its charm.
Inside the hole-in-the-wall restaurant, the sound of bubbling and the flickering lights above add to its atmosphere. The growing pile of to-go orders now shoved to the side so the chef can see the lobby.
Barely anyone is actually sitting in the restaurant. Just the chef in the back, with a green teenager and an older looking man with glasses sitting at the bar.
The chef seems to be fed up with the both of them. "Can't you two do something other than taking up valuable space while I'm working?!"
The man in the glasses just shrugs and smirks at the outburst, continuing to sip some noodles he grabbed from the ever growing to-go pile. "Pisgy, Pisgy, Pisgy. If we were to leave, who would give you such riveting conversation? And besides, we're patiently waiting for Mk to come back."
Pisgy just glares at the man before speaking up louder than the first time. "Mei is waiting for Mk to come back." Pisgy gesture with a wooden spoon to Mei, who's looking at her phone with an unserious expression.
The man with glasses just raises a brow in response. Pisgy sighs heavily before continuing his rant. "And heck, so am I! He's left so many orders here, I could probably afford to fire him if I sold 'em all myself!
"Now what are you even doing? Mooching off of Mk's generosity for free noodles, and just sitting in front of me with a smug look on your face like I'm an idiot, which I'm not! Your so lucky I don't kick you out any time you set foot in here Tang."
Tang just laughs in response, spilling some sauce onto the ground as he readjusts his glasses to look at Pisgy. "Oh please Pisgy, you know you love me~" He said in a jaunty tone, smirk never falling. "If you didn't, I would've been in the hospital by now! Probably with a wooden spoon lodged in my head."
Tang continues to chuckle, with Mei joining in soon after Pisgy stomps off back to the kitchen, grumbling up a storm.
"He's always so grumpy! Maybe he's a bit more ticked today because Mk 'ain't back yet for all those orders." Mei says to Tang absent-mindedly, eyes focused on her screen as she slouches on her stool.
Tang huffed, amused. "Hah, maybe. I just think he has his apron in a twist all the time." He giggles at his own joke before pulling a stained and well-worn book off the counter.
"Journey to the West ", a classic in Tangs' personal opinion. He immeadietly flips the long time annotated pages to a specific bookmark, stopping right on top of a bright red post-it note.
Most of his scribbles were how inaccurate some of the legends were, how the stories were twisted to be seen in a good light for an easier consumption, Tang guesses. It hurt him to see so many people enjoy these fake stories, but at least he knew most of the truth.
However, there were parts that were kept somewhat accurate. Those were the ones Tang liked to reread the most, ones marked with bright red, from the only version available in metrapolis.
1, 2, 3.
4 red post-its fly past his vision as he takes in the legends, smirking at some passages before the next page was turned.
An hour had passed if Tang had to guess. The pile stopped growing after Pisgy gave up on Mk coming back in time. He's now sitting next to Tang on the bar, with Mei sitting at one of the nearby tables, seemingly still scrolling on her phone.
Tang had been working on his fifth bowl of to-go noodles when the ground started to rumble violently. It shook everything in the shop; things like chairs toppled over and loose kitchenware fell to the floor.
Mei screamed as her phone flew out of her hands and onto the table, Pisgy tried to stabilize himself on the counter while swearing up a storm, and Tang held up his bowl so nothing spilled out, one hand on the bowl the other holding on the counter for dear life.
It finally subsides after a couple of seconds, leaving the shop in disarray. "What the heck was that?!" Pisgy shouted as he righted himself back onto a bar stool.
"Ugh, I don't know, piggy. That was definitely stronger than a mega street race or an out-of-control party at the anti-gravity arcade." Mei answered as she sprawled across the table to take back her now cracked phone. She let out a small Aww, man! afterwards.
Tang had been gasping the entire time, seemingly trying to regain lost breath from the mysterious earthquake. "I don't know how *huff* you guys recover *huff* so quickly like that! Phew. It took all my strength just to save these precious noodles!" Tabg held up the bowl as some sort of proof, with half its contents missing.
"Maybe that's just because you're old, Tang." Mei smirked at him. Tang just scoffed after her with Pisgy giving an amused huff in the background.
Tang put his bowl of noodles back onto the counter before bending down to retrieve his book. It had a few noodle stains, but it's been through much worse than that. It isn't that bad.
Just as Tang sat back onto his stool, the restaurant doors burst open with a winded Mk in the middle of them.
"Mk! Where have you been? We've been stacked through the roof with noodles that were ordered ages ago! Our customers have already given ZERO STARS Mk!" Pisgy said, grabbing Mk by the ear and sitting him down across from him at one of the tables.
"Now you better have a good reason for this, or else I'm cutting your pay for a month with full work hours."
Mk seemed to go through a mix of sheepishness, awe, confusion, and shock before he answered in long winded rambles.
"Pisgy, Mei, Tang, the legend of the Demon Bull King is real! The Demon Bull King family took Monkey Kings staff off his prison, which I took in return to defend myself, and now he's probably out there wrecking everything! And now he's probably after me too because I have the staff and all those legends Mr. Tang told me were true, and now I'm freaking out!" Mk finished his ramble by lifting up the red and gold staff in his hand.
The restaurant was silent... before hysterical laughter from Pisgy and Mei filled the restaurant. "Bahahaha! You can't expect me to believe that kid! Those are all just legends!" Mei spoke up. "Hahahahah! Yeah, Mk! Are you sure you didn't get a concusion from that earthquake?"
Mk pouted as he raised the staff once again. "But I'm telling the truth! This is the Monkey Kings staff, and all those legends were true! You at least believe me, right Mr. Tang?"
But Tang didn't answer. He just stared at the staff blankly. His hands dug into the pages of his book until they were wrinkled beyond repair. "Mr. Tang? You okay there?" Mk asked in concern.
"That's... that's Sun Wukongs staff." Tang whispered through short breaths, still staring at the staff.
Mk quickly turned around to Pisgy and Mei. "See? At least someone sensible believed me."
Pisgy scoffed before challenging Mk. "If that really is the Monkey Kings staff, then why don't you show off some of its oH MY-"
But it was too late, as the staff elongated quicker than light and smashed straight through one of Pisgy's tables.
Mk showed them a bright smile. "Haha! See that?! That was freaking monkey power -"
Sounds of scraping metal and something hitting the floor stopped Mk mid sentence. Everybody turned around to face the bar.
Tang was on the floor, shaking violently with laboring breaths between small mumbling. His stool and book strewn to the sides as Tang kept staring at the staff, eyes unseen behind the reflections in his glasses.
Pisgy rushed over quickly, reaching out to shake Tang on the shoulder. "Woah, woah. Tang, are you doing alright there?"
But before Pisgy could even tough Tang's shoulder, his arm was swat away with a surprising amount of force. Pisgy cursed as Tang gasped and mumbled something out in response. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, Pisgy. I'm sorry, I'm sorry; I just, I was shocked to see Sun- erm, the Monkey Kings staff in person like that, with the implications of the Demon Bull King back out again in out city."
Pisgy just huffed, "You're fine, Tang." Pisgy slowly put his hand around Tang's shoulders, giving them a slight squeeze.
"Thanks, Pisgy. I'll just... I'm gonna need some time for a moment. Go get Sandy; I'm sure he'll have some ideas about this." Tang gave a wobly smile as he slowly stood up.
Pisgy gave a scrutinizing look before seemingly giving up. "Yeah, you're right. He would know what to do." Pisgy turned back to the worried looking Mk and Mei. "Were gonna go meet my friend Sandy. He was THE MOST blood thirsty person I knew before..."
Their voices faded out of the restaurant as Pisgy ushered them out, with Tang left standing in the lobby. He just stood and let his smile drop for a moment. Eyes seemingly glazed over as he slowly walked back to Pisgy's bathroom.
His thoughts became louder and louder as he got closer and closer, collapsing as they started to become akin to stabbing his skull. Tang grits his teeth in pain as he lurches forward. Tears ran down his face along with black liquid out of his mouth, dripping onto the tile. He threw up.
Dark liquid and chunks of what looked like characol flooded into the toilet. He coughed violently before sagging onto the floor, mouth tasting like ash.
Tang takes off his glasses and puts them to the side as he puts the toilet seat down and flushed it. He sat on the toilet seat and forced himself to take deep breaths.
He thinks back to Pisgy, Mei, Mk, and that fucking staff... he hopes they'll be ok.
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