[Video] January 22, during and just after the earthquake

[dead_black_eyes]

[L has settled into a routine: during the early morning hours until around noon, he's typically just outside the city limits, hanging out inside a huge rusted bell that's been turned on its side. With the elimination of Zone 2, much of the debris has been moved outside the city, and being a true creature of habit, L followed a familiar item when it had been relocated. While the old bell is a comfortable place for him to work on his notes, the debris-scattered resting place for some of Zone 2's old ruins is outside the city, and it's therefore not the safest place to be if the ground is going to start trembling.

Which it does. L doesn't have quite enough time to crawl outside of the bell before it shakes free of its new, shallow groove, gaining momentum and rolling toward the desert. It's a bumpy ride, and there are plenty of obstacles, but most of them barely slow the thick, heavy bell down. During a particularly rough bump in which the bell hits a pile of debris and skips right over it, thudding back to earth and continuing in its path, L's communicator turns on and joins him in tumbling around the inside of their rapidly spinning prison. L transforms into his Weapon form, since stainless steel will hold up a little better to the violent ride than flesh and bone.

Finally, the queasy, tumultuous rolling stops, but not before a few violent pitches manage to turn the bell from its side, effectively trapping its occupant underneath it. L changes back, with some scrapes and bruises but no major injuries.

Despite this good luck, something's wrong. The Earthquake was enough to send the bell rolling a good distance from what residents typically consider "safe". He hasn't been thrown very far, but he's far enough from the city that he can feel the effects of the madness wavelength for the first time.]

Oh...

[He wraps his arms closely around himself, retreating against the side of the bell and drawing his knees toward his chest. His communicator screen illuminates a pale, wide-eyed face for a few moments before he reaches for the device with a shaking hand. His gaze and tone are rigid when he speaks into it.]

Someone. Get me. Quickly.

Comments

[video]

[want_the_world]

[Oh, fuck.

Mello does not need this right now. But there isn't any question he's going to go help L.

He looks, and is, exhausted and unwashed (in fact, he meant to hit voice and missed).]

I'm on my way.

[video]

[dead_black_eyes]

[There's a ringing in L's ears; he alternates between thinking very clearly and almost losing awareness of himself, careening between the two states erratically. At the moment, he's pressing his hands against the inside of the bell, as if he still hasn't figured out that he isn't strong enough to force his way through the thick iron.

But he's not going to be far gone enough to remember the way the madness wavelength affects Mello for a long time.]

Don't you dare, Mello... this is bad, it's really bad, but for you it'll be worse and we both know it...

[video]

[want_the_world]

[Mello's already heading out of the clinic, and really? There's nothing on earth or in Death City that could dissuade him from going to L when he needs help.]

Worse, it can't be worse than what I've faced already. I can handle it, but I need you to head back towards the city. Can you do that for me?

[Video] About 10 min or so after the quake

[shiromadoushi]

[[Now sporting a few new bruises, but otherwise looking better than L last saw him]]

Are you all right? What happened? Where are you?

[Video]

[dead_black_eyes]

[On any other day, in any other place, L would have something to say about Bakura's bruised appearance. Today, though...]

You couldn't do anything about it. It's not something that you could handle. It's too heavy. And the ground is hard, I can't dig my way out...

[He demonstrates by attempting, briefly and fiercely, to tear into the dirt with his uneven fingernails. With the proper tools, it might be possible for someone to dig a hole small enough to drag L out by his Weapon form, but he can't manage it with only his hands and his communicator.]

[itaidakimasu]

Ryuzaki-san?!

{Oh shoot...did she remember where the bell was? If she could, she might be able to find him before things get too bad. Think think think...}

[dead_black_eyes]

[He's quiet for a minute; the madness wavelength affects everyone differently, he would think, but for him he wavers between almost painful clarity and insane, irrational panic.]

What? I don't... I don't know anything about it...

[The bell was moved from Zone 2, first of all. And then the Earthquake moved it further. If Yako goes to where she last saw him with it, she won't find it.]

[video]

[histrionicflair]

That's what you get for hanging out inside rusty bells, Ryugazaki.

[video]

[dead_black_eyes]

Some people don't have peaceful deaths. I'm not bad at telling the type.

Someone's probably going to strangle you.

[Video]

[daddyscythe]

What.

What are you doing out there?! [stare]

I'll come!

[Video]

[dead_black_eyes]

There was an earthquake... I couldn't feel it before, but this has to be the madness wavelength...

[He recognizes that distinctive red hair, and while he doesn't doubt that this guy can help...]

Can you catch up to Mello? Can you keep him from coming? I don't want to hurt him...

[And at this point, he's really not sure what kind of place he's going to be in once someone gets him out from under the bell.]

[video]

[gunsmokeangel]

Where are you, and how much help is already on the way?

[It's not where Vash is supposed to be going, but Vash knows he can make it be on his way.]

[video]

[dead_black_eyes]

[He peers at the video screen, eyes huge and dark in his pale face. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself.]

Somewhere... outside near where Zone 2 used to be, but...

There was an earthquake and... it rolled and I'm somewhere else, now. Outside the city.

One person who shouldn't is trying to come. Another person is going to try to stop him.

[video]

[ink_nin]

[Sai doesn't recognize the person but.. he cannot ignore someone asking for help]

Has anyone come to find you, yet? And if not, what is your location?

[video]

[dead_black_eyes]

I don't...?

[He shakes his head, staring at the screen. The young man's eyes look familiar, if only because they are so similar to his own, but he's never actually met him.]

Who are you?

[video] ack! /throws Takuto in here kinda late

[tauborn]

R-ryuzaki!!

[He does not like the sound of that cry for help, nor does he like the look on Ryuzaki's face.]

Tell me where you are.

[He's poised, ready to start running in whatever direction is necessary.]

[video] *always happy for Takuto!!!*

[dead_black_eyes]

I'm under the bell from Zone 2...

[Not... particularly helpful, since there hasn't been a Zone 2 for awhile.]

It's... I'm far enough outside the city that I feel...

[Video]

[heart_rhythm]

[She recognizes him instantly as well as that bell he's been rolled in. After skimming the replies, she's fairly confused about how okay he really is and if help is coming or not. Since she knows the original location of his bell, she feels like she could have some better idea of where he is.]

This is Tifa. Are you alright or do you need help?

[Video]

[dead_black_eyes]

Tifa? Hi, how are you?

We should really catch up sometime. Share some laughs. Reminisce.

[Presumably about the two-odd conversations they've had.]

voice;

[thewarisover]

Has someone come to you yet?

[Video]

[dead_black_eyes]

[Even the way he currently is, L can recognize Roy's voice from their sole meeting and scattered conversations.]

You have other things to do, doubtless, as head of the Watch. Don't mind me, I understand it's cheese and strumpets. Smooth sailing. From this point forward.

[fortunetelloli]

[Mary was helping out in the emergency room. There was a bit of blood on her uniform, but she didn't particularly have time to worry about that. She wasn't even checking her mirror for new messages, so she had no idea that L had fallen victim to the earthquake. She wasn't yet needed for another patient, so of course she rushed to him. She was worried enough that it lent a slightly shrill tone to her voice, and so her calming wavelength was not as effective as it usually was.]

What happened Ryuzaki?

[He doesn't need to answer. She's already starting to check him over, and seeing nothing apparently major, she begins to calm, and so does her own wavelength.]

A little while after the rescue, Action

[dead_black_eyes]

[Fortunately, L isn't injured badly. He'd transformed into his Weapon form promptly after the Earthquake dislodged his doomed safe haven, and the bumps and bruises he had sustained were minor. His hand was bruised from hitting it against the inside of the bell, and that was probably the most serious one.]

It's a long story... do you think you could help with my hand, a bit? I sort of... hit it...

[He apparently doesn't want to go into too much detail about why he hit his hand.]

[video] the latest tag to ever late

[briochetime]

[Even over the mirrors, there's no end to the fallout from the earthquake; it's not exactly unexpected, but Allen had been hoping for more information, rather than a literal avalanche of SOS.

Nevertheless, when he responds, it's with a calm voice and a more anxiously searching look.]

Sir? Are you alone? [From the darkness, it seems like he might have been buried, in which case it's doubtful he can be of much help, but--] And... have you some idea of where you are?

[video] *loves on!*

[dead_black_eyes]

[L glances uneasily toward his communicator. For the moment, the effects of the wavelength aren't bad... but he's fully aware that they are affecting him, and that they'll probably get worse. That, and he fails to recognize the young man talking to him.]

Define... alone... and I...

[He takes a moment to press his hands against the rusted inside of the bell. He has no idea which direction he's facing, but he thinks he knows approximately which direction the earthquake knocked him.]

East of the city, in the desert...