jolts of braindead

[07:34 AM] Bobby-Fulbright figures it's time for the inevitable confrontation now that Simon's had a little while to settle back into solitary confinement. And uh, regain consciousness, because that sure was a mean whack upside the head that Billy the nightstick-wielder gave him. He made sure to disable the security camera and other such systems, because he quite expects Blackquill to start yammering on about masks and whatnot. He doesn't need that sort of stuff on record right now.

At first, he was opposed to sticking the guy back in prison, but now that he's put some more thought into it, he finds that this actually works to his advantage. It works to everyone's advantage. The Phantom's already been setting plans into motion, after all. Plans that follow a very specific MO that some people might recognize from seven years ago. Undeniably, the Phantom is at it again, and now those fools involved with the HAT-1 sabotage will know. While one might think that Simon Blackquill, who was already under suspicion of being a certain spy, could have accomplished everything so far while he was 'missing in action', they'll be proven wrong. The Hope Capsule has already returned to Earth and while the Phantom had to scramble to make his deadline (he hasn't slept properly in a week), the bombing will proceed as planned tonight. Everyone who's digging too deeply into his business will have to realize that Simon Blackquill is not the same guy. With that, perhaps, the matter of the murder he was convicted for could be drawn into question as well.

So really, Blackquill should be [b]thanking[/b] him. Not that he expects that to happen, nor can he ever tell Blackquill [b]why[/b] this is for his own good, but there you have it.

Regardless, his lone steps are sure to echo through the hall as he makes his way to the solitary confinement cell. No one here to overhear their conversation. No one to try and protect Simon's ass. Bobby has no intention of harming him anyway. He's only there for a talk and he will once again be very Bobby Fulbright about it. The Phantom is unwelcome, after all.



[07:45 AM] Simon-Blackquill is lying on the incredibly uncomfortable bed in his lonesome cell. He would be sitting up, except his leg seems to have suffered further damage from his tussle with the Phantom in the clinic. It's not safe for him to be doing anything with it. And he doesn't have his cane -- "Fool Bright" snatched it and Simon hasn't seen it at all since before he was knocked out.

His body trembles slightly, twitching every once in a while. He isn't sure why -- the cold of the dark, cramped space? The looming fear that now, the Phantom has him exactly where he wants him? It feels like he's been trapped in a snare. Unable to move, unable to act, unable to do anything but be at a madman's mercy, something Simon absolutely refuses to do.

When he hears the echoing steps, of course the Phantom is exactly who Simon assumes it to be. His heart begins beating rapidly, but he says nothing and moves not a muscle. His suspicions only seem to further confirm themselves as they get louder and louder, growing ever nearer...

A lump forms in his throat.



[07:55 AM] Bobby-Fulbright comes in peace, geez! Sure, he has the remote for the manacles with him, but he can't afford not to. He's paranoid enough to assume that he'll need it. He comes to a halt before the bars to peer down at Blackquill and another mild headache dawns on him. ...Soon. Soon the last shred of evidence that might endanger his identity will be gone and then he can leave. It doesn't matter how he supposedly 'feels' about Blackquill. Whether it's hate, grief or love, all of it will become irrelevant.

Bobby's not enough of a fool to assume that Simon's sleeping. He's been around the guy long enough to know this much. "... Prosecutor Blackquill. How... How are you feeling?"



[08:04 AM] Simon-Blackquill doesn't look like he's feeling too well. His face seems to have somehow grown even paler, his eyes, currently closed and hidden in the shadows of his hair, are accented with dark, thick tear marks as well as even deeper bags underneath them. It almost makes him look like he's got two black eyes... hell, if he does, it would be impossible to tell. His chained wrists lie at his sides, good leg hung over the edge of the bed so his bad one can sprawl out as it needs to. But no accommodation or position makes it comfortable or provides him with any sort of relief. His painkillers are gone, now.

When the sound of Bobby Fulbright's voice rings in Simon's ears, his eyelids twitch and his brow furrows in pure rage. How DARE he use that voice, after Simon's learned the truth.

"You loathsome cur," he hisses, refusing to open his eyes. His voice sounds strained and raspy, like he's been smoking, about to cough, having trouble breathing, or simply hasn't spoken in a while. Maybe a combination of any of those things. "I feel as if the touch of the reaper's scythe is just around the corner. Come for me, for I wish to receive the honour of death in battle just as the samurai of yore."



[08:14 AM] Bobby-Fulbright is silent for a moment, doing nothing more than shaking his head. A loathsome cur... He's heard worse insults over his lifetime, and that's just the ones he actually remembers. Maybe, in his distant past, there was even more. Even so, hearing it from Blackquill after all that's happened between them, this is the first time it actually [b]sticks[/b]. A white hot jab of [b]something[/b] seems to shoot up his spine, into his brain.

Ultimately, he steps a bit closer to the bars to hold onto one with his right hand. He decides to ignore death wish and instead dance around it a bit. “Ah, if... If it's that bad, I can try to arrange for some more painkillers. The doctors from Hickfield might still be able to prescribe something for you.”



[08:22 AM] Simon-Blackquill can hear the sounds the Phantom makes as he grips one of the bars on his door. He's either pretending to be 'concerned', as if he had the ability to desire to express such a thing, or getting ready to open the door like the foolish man he is.

He's still pretending. That's all this is. Everything is one giant lie. This man [b]has[/b] no identity, after all... he takes up the guise of Bobby Fulbright merely because it's convenient for him. Of course... he doesn't drop the act even now, because the Phantom has no idea who he even is. Simon wonders if he can use that to his advantage here. He's got to reel his anger back some in order to do this, though.

"Hmph. Do what you must. We both know your [b]concern[/b] for my health is not why you are here, so quit your senseless jabbering and get to the point."



[08:37 AM] Bobby-Fulbright has very little intention of opening that door. Sure, Blackquill is still injured, but he's already proven himself to be especially vicious despite that. Bobby would like to leave this place without so much as a scratch on him, if he can help it. He breathes a bit of a sigh, pretend or otherwise, resting his forehead against the bars.

He didn't want things to have to end like this.

"I don't have a point. I only came to see how you're holding up..."



[08:41 AM] Simon-Blackquill growls and his eyelids twitch again, but he reels himself back before he lets the seething anger seep in. It's proving to be incredibly difficult, even for a man like him -- it might just be the physical pain causing this.

"I can't move from this spot. I'm lying on what basically amounts to a cardboard mattress on a steel frame. You have an active enough [b]imagination[/b], now can't you [b]empathise[/b]?"

This must be one of the strangest conversations he's ever had. The Phantom is pretending as if the truth has never even been disclosed to Simon at all. It makes it that much harder to keep his anger in check. It must be a deliberate attempt to get him to lose control... it has to be. But what does the Phantom have to gain from that? He can't gain [b]satisfaction[/b].



[08:55 AM] Bobby-Fulbright has a hard time imagining things, actually. He's so detached from his own self and reality- so based on logic- that he's sure he can't picture things the way other people can. He can predict them and hypothesize, but images won't come to him. He can't empathize either, but he's sure Blackquill knows that.

"Well, that's... That's why I came to see how you're holding up in the first place. I know it can't be easy for you, and... I'm sorry." As close to sorry as he can get, anyway. Bobby Fulbright failed when it came to keeping Blackquill in check and now the guy is suffering for it. That's not something Bobby ever intended.



[09:05 AM] Simon-Blackquill takes a deep, scratchy breath through his nose... he has to say the absolute worst words, doesn't he? The Phantom can't be sorry, he has no such ability.

"I grow sick of your lies, Phantom," he hisses, sounding every bit as in control as usual... despite the one being at the fake detective's mercy. "Why are you here? You feel no concern for me. You continue to play with another man's life as if it were your doll. Just a mask for you to play dress-up with. It's absolutely disgusting. Deplorable. Scum of the earth. Deserving of nothing but the most painful and agonising death one can receive."

As he continues to speak, his voice becomes calmer and calmer sounding despite the increasing amount poison in his words. He's as serious as a heart attack.



[09:27 AM] Bobby-Fulbright shakes his head again, as much as the bars will allow. The pained expression on his face is faked, of course, but it might as well be real. It's just like he told Tori; nobody ever understands. Nobody [b]gets[/b] it. It's more than a mask. It's more than a game of dress-up. The dedication to his part deserves more credit than that. If lies are they only truths a person knows and abides by, they aren't lies at all.

"... That's not true. Prosecutor Blackquill, I... I never meant for you to get hurt. I never meant for you to [b]find out[/b], because I... The man I am, I thought that made you happy. You would've been happy until your final moments if you'd never known. Isn't that more important?"

Because humans can turn a blind eye to the truth and delude themselves into seeing only what they want to see, when it comes to their own happiness. That's how the world works.



[09:32 AM] Simon-Blackquill wants to just get up and try and throttle that heathen through the bars, but he controls himself -- because even if he wanted to, he couldn't get up to do that anyway. Which is good, because the rest of the Phantom's words... they make an odd kind of sense. It's true, he'd at least be happy in his final moments, but...

Does Simon Blackquill really deserve that?

"Hmph," he mutters, snapping himself out of that train of thought. "No. What matters the most is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing [b]but[/b] the truth. You didn't want me to find out because it risked not only your identity but your life."



[09:41 AM] Bobby-Fulbright pouts, fingers idly sliding up and down the bar he's still holding onto. "Ah, well, maybe that was part of it too," he admits, because there's no real point in lying about it. "I guess you could call it a win/win situation in that case? It was better for you and it was better for me. That's why I regret it came to this. Now you're losing and I'm... Well, I'm fighting a hard battle [b]not[/b] to."  He won't give details on that. It's none of Blackquill's business.



[09:46 AM] Simon-Blackquill can't hold back the growl that rattles in his throat. What a despicable thing to say. "You are Bobby Fulbright, are you not? To allow yourself to taint the blade of justice... would that not go against everything you claim to stand for? Or is Bobby Fulbright a traitor to his own kind?"

If the Phantom is going to insist on acting like this man, Simon's going to call him out on his interpretation. "My death is not a victory. It is merely what I'd previously believed to be a necessity."



[10:01 AM] Bobby-Fulbright sighs again. It's true that Bobby Fulbright's mindset conflicts with the Phantom's- conflicts with the very essence that is the Phantom. Bobby is a puppet to a great 'evil'. He's a walking contradiction and he knows it. Maybe, if it were possible, his two mindsets would do battle and he'd end up hating himself. ...Maybe he already does and he just doesn't know it, because his unique psyche won't allow him to see it.

"I didn't say it's a victory. I said it's a loss. I don't want you to die. ...The other guy would want you gone if you were a threat, but he considers you out of his league when it comes to that. That probably sounds cruel, but it's true."



[10:10 AM] Simon-Blackquill just... doesn't believe what he's hearing. 'The other guy' implies there's two people... but this isn't a case of split personality, to Simon's knowledge. What is it, then? Does he believe he's got multiple people in his body, and that he HAS to take on the Bobby Fulbright persona? No, that makes no bloody sense, he STOLE that identity.

"...[b]You[/b] wish to prolong my trip down to my grave, but [b]you[/b] would also like me to be eliminated, is that it?" He repeats, making sure the Phantom knows exactly how ludicrous he sounds.

Simon finally turns his head and opens his eyes, glaring right at the man. "I find it interesting that I am not considered a threat."



[10:22 AM] Bobby-Fulbright actually used the term of 'the other guy' for the sake of simplicity. That's what Tori always referred to him as, probably towards Blackquill as well. It's not something he agrees with, exactly, as 'the other guy' barely qualifies as a guy. He's a non-entity who pulls the strings. The shadow behind Bobby who's ultimately in charge of everything he does, just as he's in charge of any other identity. It seems like Simon misunderstood him anyway. 'The other guy' wouldn't like to see Simon eliminated at all. There's no need for it.

"No, that's not it. Neither of us wants you eliminated. Not now, and not even before he got his hands on the psych profile." Granted, Simon was the only one who knew where it was, so keeping the guy alive was a necessity back then. "But it's gone now. You don't have a single shred of evidence against him. That's why his attitude towards you dying is kind of... indifferent. Maybe leaning towards 'unnecessary', if that makes sense."



[10:28 AM] Simon-Blackquill begins to tremble with anger. He doesn't have that profile. He [b]CAN'T.[/b] Its location was never disclosed to Bobby Fulbright or the Phantom. It doesn't matter if taking up Simon's own guise would lead him to it... he'd still have to know precisely how to do it, and he'd have to risk running into the real Simon Blackquill. Surely all of these things combined... ugh, he still can't shake the doubt!

"You don't have that profile," he growls, "If you did, you'd know precisely where to find it, and as you already told me, I trusted not even Fool Bright with such precious information. I will take it to my grave."



[10:35 AM] Bobby-Fulbright breathes a rather bitter chuckle. He'd pegged Blackquill as an intelligent man, but humans really, truly only see what they want to see. Take it to his grave... Afraid not. It was ripped from Simon before that, and he didn't even notice.

"We played twenty questions, remember? It... It was you who suggested we play that game in the first place. Did you really think he couldn't put that information to good use? In hindsight, I can't blame you for putting more faith in Taka than in me. Animals aren't smart enough to deceive their master or sell out. Their ignorance makes them loyal to the best of their ability. Trouble is, they're way too easy to trick."



[10:42 AM] Simon-Blackquill remembers the twenty questions, yes, but he also remembers how the game concluded. Still, the more the Phantom speaks, the angrier Simon becomes. He isn't implying what he thinks he's implying... is he? Simon clenches his fists and the chains connecting his wrists jingle with the movement, reminding him of his restraint.

".........I will not hear an abridged version of this. You will tell me what happened, and you'll tell me right now," he demands, hissing violently and the trembling in his body grows ever stronger, his movement clearly visible from where the Phantom is standing. His growing agitation is the most obvious thing in the world, but there's a bit of fear present as well. His heart is pounding like a drum.



[10:48 AM] Bobby-Fulbright suffers from the oddest instinct. He sees the violent trembling of Simon's body and his first thought is to enter the cell so he can cover him with a nice warm blanket. ...It gets hard to keep mindsets apart, sometimes. Things get lost in the jumble.

"Can't you figure it out? I mean... I'm sure the others would have told you by now. Maybe they even gave it to you; that mask. Taka couldn't tell the difference. Even Sir Beoulve was fooled for a good, long moment when it was last used." Not Pliskin, though, but... well, considering the situation that they were in at the time, it's only logical that Pliskin wouldn't fall for it.



[10:51 AM] Simon-Blackquill's face contorts into disgust when that mask is mentioned. He wants nothing more than to stand up and choke the everloving LIFE out of that villainous wretch, but he needs confirmation, he needs to know exactly what happened.

"Stop beating around the bush and give me the full details! NOW!" He shouts, banging his fists on the bed for good measure -- the metal of his chain slams into the metal of the bedframe and makes a loud, ear-splitting clang, but Simon doesn't flinch from the sound at all.



[10:57 AM] Bobby-Fulbright [b]does[/b] flinch. One great, overdramatic backwards lurch, both his hands thrown up in a defensive manner. Silence reigns for about five seconds, then he relaxes again. If there's one principle the Phantom sticks to, it's to never admit to anything with so much detail that it can be proven you were the culprit. You can hint at it, you can say it ambiguously, but never outright confirm it so it can be used against you. ...Sometimes he slips up. He won't be doing it now.

"...No. I'm sorry, the details don't matter either way. It's done. I think that, deep down, you know that just as well as I do."



[11:03 AM] Simon-Blackquill won't take that for an answer, sorry! He has to know all the details. He isn't out to prosecute the Phantom for it, the man's a bloody murderer, he'll prosecute him for THAT instead!

When the Phantom speaks, Simon growls lowly the entire way through, only to force himself to sit up painfully when the man's finished. "The details DO matter, because I absolutely refuse to believe you could take it from me! When did you have an opportunity? What means did you use? I'm not about to slip up and tell you myself, so don't think you can trick me into disclosing the details by pretending you already have them. I require [b]proof[/b] and I will have it!"

With that, Simon swipes a hand forward, fingers extended in a familiar attacking manner, with lightning-fast movement and his chains clink in protest. No slicing will happen today. But that doesn't mean he can't threaten it.



[11:19 AM] Bobby-Fulbright doesn't flinch this time. At most, one of his hands moves towards the remote, but doesn't grasp it. Meanwhile, his other hand begins to fiddle with his aviators, the cheap lighting of Simon's cell reflecting off the lenses. "I think that your ears may need cleaning, Prosecutor Blackquill. I've already told you what means were used. As for when... A better question would be, when [b]wasn't[/b] there an opportunity? You are a caged man, as you have been for seven years now. The Phantom is free to go wherever, whenever he wants. That's why a quick trip to, say, the courthouse would be no problem whatsoever. I'm sure there were a few odd looks, but who would dare confront such an intimidating man? That's the sad truth of it all."



[11:26 AM] Simon-Blackquill's eyes widen in realisation of what the Phantom's hinting at. ...He donned Simon's mask and went to the courthouse, due to how inconspicuous it would be to find Prosecutor Blackquill there. Due to it being Taka's home, as well as close to the hiding spot.

"...No. [b]NO.[/b]" he shouts, pulling at his chain as he raises his fists into the air. "Do you have ANY idea what you've [b]DONE?[/b] I'll murder you myself, I swear it if my name isn't Simon Blackquill! I will impale you upon the swift blade of justice and I will relish in the delight of knowing you have finally met your end! Do you hear me, Phantom?"

He slams his shackled wrists down over his bad leg and cries in agony as the chain shatters. "DO YOU HEAR ME, [b]PHANTOM[/b]? I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF!"



[11:38 AM] Bobby-Fulbright waits for the temper tantrum to die down. He just stands and waits. Blackquill is.... so selfish. So very, utterly selfish. Without the psych profile, the both of them could live. ...Well, at least up until the execution, anyway. That profile was a death sentence. Not just something born out of indifference, but a purposeful attack. There was no way it could be allowed to exist and now Blackquill has the gall to be mad that it's gone. He simply hates the Phantom that much, and for what reason? It's all utter stupidity.

His expression becomes pained again, this time a result of another migraine. The jabbing in his skull is so fierce that it causes tears to well up in his eyes- yes, he's sure that's where the tears are coming from. It has to be that.

"... Please calm down, Prosecutor Blackquill. If you don't, I'll have to punish you again." He doesn't want to. He's sure he doesn't want to. Blackquill just keeps driving him into that corner, leaving him with no choice but to fight back.



[11:53 AM] Simon-Blackquill doesn't have the ability to even notice anything about the Phantom any more, aside from his insistence on sticking to that man's face. His voice. His personality. The Phantom has none to call his own, sure... but how dare he continue to lie about being Bobby Fulbright. How dare he! It just feeds his anger further.

After the intense pain in his wrists and leg starts to dull a little, Simon forces himself to move -- to be more precise, he slams his body down onto the ground face-first, causing his nose to hit the floor and burst with blood. His forehead gets hit as well, and the force of his fall could very well cause a concussion -- it seems that sheer Simon Blackquill willpower alone kept such a thing from happening.

"I refuse! I'll kill you, mark my words!" He screams, lifting his head and exposing his bloodied nose. His whole body is shaking, but even more so... is his bad leg, twitching uncontrollably.



[12:00 PM] Bobby-Fulbright peers down at Blackquill and once again, he's hit with that ridiculous instinct to [b]help[/b]. To enter the cell and crouch down by the man's side. To tend to his wounds before he injures himself even further.

He can't. He can't go in there. It's a trap. It's nothing more than a [b]trap[/b].

The words he's hearing are just as bad as the sight he's seeing, really. Twisted Samurai, indeed. He frowns, the corners of his lips twitching in a bad attempt to stave off an expression of utter dismay. When he opens his mouth, he utters the only word that really comes to mind. "... Why?" It's asked quietly, almost a plea. Why does Blackquill want to see him dead that much? Why would a man who was falsely convicted- who doesn't really have it in him to take a life- who condemns other murderers- want to soil his hands this badly?



[12:05 PM] Simon-Blackquill brings a hand up to rub at his head, only to bring his fingers back to find more blood, certainly from his fall. He groans and glares back up at the Phantom when he has the gall to ask [b]why.[/b] Of course he doesn't understand. Of course! Well Simon's about to let him have it.

"Because you killed my mentor! You took Athena's mother away from her and ruined her life! You made me believe for years that SHE could have done it! I never would have had to see the gruesome sight I saw if it weren't for you, you deranged freak of nature," he stops to breathe and spit at the ground. "And even now, you pretend to be the man that believed in me, that swore he'd help save me, that said he loved me, that gave me a child only to take him away from me... it was all a trick, it was all a deception, and I wish I could forget it all! [b]I want nothing more than to see you DEAD![/b]"



[12:27 PM] Bobby-Fulbright isn't sure what's happening, now. It's as if his headache spreads throughout his body like a plague. As it cascades downward, it robs him of his sight for a moment. His ears begin to ring. His chest constricts painfully, making it difficult to breathe. His stomach lurches, as if he might be sick at any moment. Finally, it reaches his legs and they buckle, forcing him to tumble to his knees. Luckily, he still manages to catch himself with his hands.

He knew this would be the logical outcome. He knew this would be the answer. Simon Blackquill is an emotional man and his opinions hinge on those emotions. A loved one is dead because of the Phantom and the whole past year was filled with deceit. It makes perfect sense, so why? Why does it hurt? Why does it feel like it came out of nowhere? Why does he refuse to believe it?

"It wasn't... I'm not...-" He wraps his arms around his chest, almost as if he's hugging himself. He really is going to be sick, isn't he? "I-I... The Phantom only did what he h-had to in order to s-survive. That profile would've been the death of him and y-you... You were the one who created that thing in the first place. If you hadn't d-done that, then this... [b]None[/b] of this...-!"



[12:42 PM] Simon-Blackquill watches the Phantom go down with surprise -- it's as if the power of his words alone caused him to fall. He opens his mouth to continue when the Phantom speaks first, and Simon lets it happen despite knowing he should interrupt. This man doesn't deserve a chance to speak.

Why is he acting like this? What's wrong with him? Seeing the man that still looks so much like Bobby Fulbright in such pain, his voice strained... now it's Simon's turn to be in pain, his heart feeling like it's been stomped to shreds. It causes his chest to tighten as he refuses to let the emotion take control -- he needs his anger right now, he needs the energy it provides.

"Be that as it may!" He shouts, slamming his fists on the floor, "This makes your actions no less despicable! What a pathetic creature you are, crumbling and weak, hiding behind another man's identity because you have none for yourself!"

His twitching leg slams into the bedframe with a loud DING, causing his eyes to bulge and he cries out loudly from the pain. He hisses in anger and screams at the Phantom again, not done speaking yet!

"YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE A DEAD MAN [b]NOW![/b]"



[12:56 PM] Bobby-Fulbright can almost feel some of Blackquill's words echoing through his mind. That's right, he doesn't have an identity for himself. He chose that way of life for himself. ... He [b]did[/b] choose it, right? He can no longer remember. Surely, it was voluntary. Surely, whatever identity he had before was worthless enough to be tossed aside, wasn't it?

His gaze had strayed to the floor at some point, unseeing, but the noise of Blackquill's leg slamming into the bedframe pulls him right back to reality. He looks up with wide eyes only to note that Simon is in pain. They're both in pain and the only thought that dawns on him is that it's so incredibly [b]stupid[/b]. This- [b]all of this[/b]- could've been avoided. It's only because Blackquill rejected Bobby without second thought that they're hurting at all.

"I told you... to calm down. P-Please." He pauses to draw some more oxygen into his aching lungs. "I don't want you to hurt yourself."



[01:04 PM] Simon-Blackquill isn't exactly trying to hurt himself, but he's not going out of his way to avoid it, either. The movement of his leg is completely involuntary... perhaps he should have got it put in a cast, or something, to keep unwanted twitches from getting that severe. Not that it matters now.

How dare the Phantom try to tell him to calm down like this? Simon growls and begins to crawl closer to the door. Despite how weak he obviously is, Simon refuses to show that he really shouldn't be doing this, that his sick and injured body can't handle the abuse he puts it through -- none of that matters right now.

"Hmph! If my fate is already set in stone, it matters not what happens to my sorry excuse for a body! You don't have the ability to feel desire in one way or the other. You're merely attempting to manipulate me. I'll kill you before you get the chance to pull the wool over my eyes again, you villain!"



[01:20 PM] Bobby-Fulbright doesn't care whether it's purposeful or not; hurting himself is hurting himself. Simon should've just stayed put in the bed. Simon should've just behaved himself and not stuck his nose where it didn't belong. Now Bobby is hurting because this guy is hurting, which is stupid, but as the Phantom would say, it is what it is. All this suffering is being caused by Simon. He's to blame, it's all his fault.

He has enough common sense to shuffle himself backwards, away from the bars and out of Blackquill's reach. He's safe here. Even so, his speech continues to be strained and breathy. "No, you won't... All of this will end soon. This little feud between you and Phantom... It's going to reach a conclusion. All you have to do is sit tight and wait. There's no need for manipulation on either side anymore."



[01:25 PM] Simon-Blackquill lets that cretin talk again. Fine, have at it. While he listens, Simon gathers up all the strength and energy he has, and as soon as the last words leave the Phantom's mouth, Simon kicks off the ground with his good leg...

...And sloppily jumps toward the door, grabbing the bars as he approaches, the loud sound of metal against metal ringing in his ears. "It WILL end soon! It will end NOW! I'll kill you, I swear it! You deserve death! All YOU must do is sit tight and wait!"

He ends his words with a scream, as if it were intended to be a battle cry -- it's just a delayed reaction to the burning pain in various parts of his body. Blood begins to trickle down his face, peeking out from below his hair -- he did indeed hit his head hard enough to draw blood when he hit the floor.



[01:38 PM] Bobby-Fulbright instinctively scrambles just a bit further away from the bars, eyes wide with faux shock. There's no way Simon could get to him. There's no way he could possibly be a real threat. Even so... [b]Even so[/b]... His heart is still pounding away in his chest and it aches something fierce.

And then blood is rushing down Simon's face. At this rate, the guy won't make it to his execution date. At this rate, even before anyone has a chance to jump in and save him, he's sure to die. Emotions really are a weakness, to be able to drive a man to this level of insanity.

"Stop it. Just stop it. Some things are important than revenge. ...Please, just sit down and take it easy," he says, the tone sounding rather like a plea. Maybe it is a plea.



[01:48 PM] Simon-Blackquill's pain starts to catch up to him, and he groans loudly, huffing as he lets his body sink toward the floor. He rests his chin on the bottom of the door, between the bars. He can't fit his head through -- of course not -- but the gap is wide enough for him to at least place his chin against the cold metal.

Those words remind him of everything. He's got no anger left... a choking sound erupts from his throat as he resists the urge to cough, and he brings a hand to his head again. The Phantom's right. He's right... some things are more important than revenge. Some things are more important than one's own life. Of course. He knows these things all too well... and it was he who decided he had something to live for.

"...I have to live. Don't you see what you've done? You have robbed me of every reason I had to fight on... and yet, here I must, because it is as you say. I've already done the irresponsible and adopted a child... and now Tori is carrying my second? Do you realise it would be unspeakable for me to not be there for them? Or for the [b]real[/b] Bobby Fulbright, who deserves to have me in his life? You are nothing but a cheap imitation."

More than anything, Simon sounds... tired, now. As he should, after all that anger and hatred.



[01:57 PM] Bobby-Fulbright feels as if something vital shuts down at those words. As if something very important inside his being simply stops working. Every single sentence Blackquill speaks is like a slap to the face. A cheap imitation... Just a cheap imitation, while the 'real' Bobby Fulbright [b]deserves[/b] Blackquill? And the man [b]dares[/b] speak of irresponsibility as if it's the Phantom's fault that he won't be there for his children when it was Blackquill who decided to become a very poor father, knowing fully well that he would die.

It's too much. Now something else is surging through his body. It strikes in his head, in his chest and in his [b]cheeks[/b]. Something hot and unbearable. He flinches and most of his muscles tense up, almost as if it's some sort of defensive measure to prevent him from doing something much worse with them.

"[b]What[/b] did you say...?" he demands, his voice low and soft. It sounds almost like a growl.



[02:03 PM] Simon-Blackquill tilts his head to look at the Phantom when he makes his demand. ...Yes, he will go ahead and do it. He sounds like he's trying to get angry. This ought to prove to be interesting, since he can't feel anger at all. And besides... there's something cathartic about the idea of driving the Phantom to anger, even if it's impossible.

"Do I need to repeat myself? I said you're a fraud. A [b]cheap imitation[/b] of the real Bobby Fulbright. You know this to be the truth... does my blade wound you, you fiend? I met the real Bobby Fulbright... and you're nothing compared to him. He doesn't have to resort to trickery and lies. He can experience the affection I feel toward him. He will have everything you cannot."

And with that, he chuckles weakly.



[02:30 PM] Bobby-Fulbright definitely feels something snap, now. It's something that should never, ever have been allowed to snap, but the past month has been 'stressful' enough as is. He'd already admitted to Tori that feelings had begun to stir and now something has not only stirred- it is wide awake. It roils inside him, robbing him of all the common sense he'd known. Before he knows it, he's on his feet. Before he knows it, [b]he's[/b] the one lunging at the bars to grasp them with both hands.

He's not sure who takes charge when he speaks. He doesn't know what words are flowing from his mouth at all. All he knows is that he's screaming. Venting his thoughts with no filter whatsoever, because it's the only way he can think to release whatever emotion is overwhelming his psyche.

"How [b]DARE[/b] you?! That man [b]deserves[/b] your affection?! That's [b]insane[/b]! How long have you known him?! A [b]week[/b]?! Where was this man when you were in the hospital?! Who was it who did your laundry?! Who was it who had to clean up after you whenever you got sick?! HOW [b]DARE YOU[/b] ACT LIKE EVERYTHING I DID FOR YOU WAS MEANINGLESS AND GIVE THE CREDIT TO SOMEONE ELSE?!" He releases the bars and bangs his fists into them. He bangs them not once, not twice, but over and over even as he continues his screaming. "I'M BOBBY FULBRIGHT! I WAS BOBBY FULBRIGHT ALL THIS TIME! WHO CARES IF THERE'S ANOTHER ONE?! HOW CAN HE BE [b]REAL[/b] WHEN I'M STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU?!"



[02:38 PM] Simon-Blackquill is still close to the door when the Phantom has his outburst. What is even going on any more? This isn't anger. It [b]can't[/b] be. He can't experience that. But... is he pretending? Simon can't be sure any more. What's truth and what's deception are blurring together and it's giving him a mild headache. He has to gently scoot himself backwards so the rattling of the bars doesn't disturb him further, and he places his head on the ground.

"It matters not how long I've known him! He has not once lied to me, unlike your entire [b]existence[/b] with me. You are [b]not[/b] Bobby Fulbright and you never will be. You are simply a coward, hiding behind a mask! And that's all you ever WILL be!" He grunts as it becomes hard to breathe, with the blood that had seeped from his nose starting to harden and dry. He scrapes it away with his nails. "Are you confused, spy? Do you not know the difference between reality and fiction? Are you unable to comprehend the concept that a real Bobby Fulbright not only exists, but is everything you aren't?"



[02:51 PM] Bobby-Fulbright is still banging his fists into the bars. This is why he didn't want emotions! THIS IS WHY HE DIDN'T WANT EMOTIONS! GodDAMMIT now he's out of control and he doesn't know how to stop himself, and EVERYTHING HURTS and it's all BLACKQUILL'S FAULT! And then people have the gall to call HIM the bad guy!

"NO! NO NO [b]NO[/b]! He's not [b]REAL[/b] and you can't [b]know[/b]- You can't [b]KNOW[/b] he's not a liar! Everyone lies! That's what people [d]DO[/b]- it doesn't make a [b]difference[/b]! I was there by your side all this time! I was the one who wanted you to be happy! It was [b]me[/b], not [b]him[/b]!"

Tears are running down his face now. He can feel it. Instead of allowing whatever sorrow that spurred it on to take over, all it does is make him even [b]angrier[/b]. Blackquill succeeded in making him [b]cry[/b] and damn it all this situation is not worth any tears!!! He rams his forehead into the bars and continues his rant, but he's become so detached from his identity that his language center is fucking up. Whatever else it is that spills from his mouth, Blackquill likely won't understand it, because it's in [b]Cohdopian[/b].



[01:33 AM] Simon-Blackquill watches the Phantom spiral into insanity, and he's unsure if the display is fake or genuine. The man is a gifted actor, Simon will give him that, especially since he doesn't experience emotions... or does he?

He remembers something Tori said... [I]"I think the reason he can't feel anything... is because it /hurts/ him when he comes close."[/I]

What he's witnessing right now... he's not sure if it can be faked. Is there really such thing as a man who cannot experience emotion? Watching him rant and rave and cry and bang on the bars of the door makes Simon visibly cringe. With how close he is to the door, he can feel the vibrations each time a fist or forehead is slammed into it, and the Phantom's voice is causing his head to feel like it's being split right down the middle.

Simon tries to back himself up further and distance himself from the Phantom, groaning in pain and unable to control the rapid twitching of his bad leg. It seems insistent on making its own condition worse, and he can't do a damn thing about it.

"[color=red]SILENCE![/color] You're speaking [b]nonsense![/b]" And he's not referring to whatever babble he's spouting in whatever language he's spouting it in. "He is indeed very real -- I've seen him, I've heard his voice and its genuine emotions, I've touched him, I've smelled him, I've [b]tasted[/b] him... you could never live up to the man he is. You can never hope of achieving what he has. If the way you carry yourself now is genuine, then you must repent, you must allow [b]proper[/b] righteousness to give you the release you seem to desire deep down in your consciousness."

His eyes narrow and this next sentence is hissed in the most menacing way he can muster. "In justice we trust, Phantom."



[01:48 AM] Bobby-Fulbright honestly stopped listening after the 'I've tasted him' bit. Because [b]of course[/b] Blackquill would sleep with the guy. Blackquill is some sort of incurable nymphomaniac and honest to god, he [b]would[/b] be better off dead. Regardless of Tori's persuasions, regardless of supposed indifference, common sense is screaming at him to just abandon this guy to be executed. Even stronger than that is the fury. The mere notion that he was [b]replaced[/b], just as Blackquill attempted to replace Kujaku by impregnating Tori.

This will not stand. [b]This will not stand[/b].

His hand moves to his pocket and his hearing returns to him just in time to catch that motto. In justice we trust... He doesn't trust anyone. This sort of bullshit is exactly why. He meets Blackquill's glare head-on and the next second, his finger finds the button to the remote. There's no hesitation whatsoever. In fact, he gets the feeling that... Yes, he may very well legitimately [b]enjoy[/b] this.

Have fun with those Jolts of Justice, you dirty manwhore.



[02:25 AM] Simon-Blackquill would deny up and down that he was trying to replace the Phantom with the real Bobby, but that just isn't the whole truth. Part of the reason for his attraction to him will always be due to the Phantom and the phony relationship they had. And part of the reason Simon acted on that attraction was due to missing it. Feeling utterly betrayed by it. Feeling... heartbroken. Just another crime to add to the Phantom's laundry list.

Simon remembers the Jolts of Justice right before the electricity surges through his body, making his wrists feel like they've been trapped in an oven. His whole body trembles underneath the locking jaws of static, and he screams loudly at the burning and the horrible taste in his mouth.

He thought he had a headache before? It feels like the shocks are directly reaching his brain at its very core. Like it might explode.



[02:33 AM] Bobby-Fulbright isn't sure what enjoyment feels like. He can't differentiate whatever inkling of emotion seeps through, that's one of his major problems. [b]Something[/b] is seeping through at the sight of Blackquill's twitching and trembling. [b]Something[/b] is seeping through at the sound of his screaming. It's enjoyment, right? It has to be. It only makes sense. If he really is the bad guy, if they really must stand on opposite sites and fight to the death then this... This is his victory.

Tears are still rolling down his face though, but when has his body ever acted appropriately in the face of emotion?

He presses into the button with such ferocity that his finger slides off it. For a few seconds, Simon might enjoy some reprieve, but Bobby isn't done. Eventually, his thumb regains its former position and he's right back to more tasering. He isn't even thinking about the limits of the human body, at this point. All he wants is for Blackquill to suffer, because god knows the man has caused plenty of suffering to [b]him[/b].



[03:41 AM] Simon-Blackquill has long since abandoned all thought of trying to get the shocking to stop, or hoping that it even will, so the sudden, brief moment of relief is a shock all on its own. He takes in a deep breath as if he'd just come up for air after being trapped at the bottom of a lake, but mid-breath he's slammed back down underwater again as the electricity returns and burns through his body, making him feel like he's being fried alive.

More screaming erupts from his throat and more and more twitching occurs, resulting in him pushing himself with his own spasms that he eventually hits the wall off to the side and so he attempts to curl up to avoid the pain.

Then he gasps mid-shock, and suddenly, his screams sound... different. Louder, and in short bursts, as if he can't bring enough air into his lungs to shout properly. Everything aches and all attempts to consider what is happening are drowned out by the powerful pulses of electricity.



[03:48 AM] Bobby-Fulbright still isn't stopping. Even as Blackquill hits the wall, clearly at his limit, Bobby keeps going. Even as the screams change and something is evidently wrong, he [b]keeps going[/b]. For a guy who hinges on logic, facts and what he always perceives to be common sense, the loss of control is doubly powerful when it finally happens. There's no thoughts running through his head at all, anymore. Like static. All he knows is the pain in his chest, the pain in his head, the feeling of his thumb on the remote's button and the sound of Blackquill's screams.


[03:59 AM] Simon-Blackquill's screams become shorter and shorter without losing their volume or intensity, until suddenly, they stop completely and Simon Blackquill can no longer process [b]anything[/b]. It's like he's not even alive right now, except he is, as evidenced by his heaving breaths while the electricity continues to mercilessly bite into his body.

His eyes remain wide open in an expression of pure shock, and his body is still twitching wildly, especially his bad leg, but it's obvious at this point that he's blacked out.



[04:07 AM] Bobby-Fulbright finally slows to a stop, because now that Blackquill's no longer screaming, there's very little left to fuel the insanity. His finger slides off the button and for a few seconds, he does nothing else. Then he leans forward, his forehead once again colliding with the bars of the door. The cool metal feels like a relief against the aching migraine that's still reigning. He doesn't know how long he stands there, heaving for breath, unseeing. It could be ten seconds, it could be a minute, it could be [b]five[/b] minutes.

Once coherency and some semblance of calm do finally return, he looks up to assess Blackquill's condition.



[04:15 AM] Simon-Blackquill spends the entire time breathing heavily and not attempting to do anything at all. He's not trying to catch his breath, he's not trying to move or feel or speak or even think... He just stares at the bars in front of him, eyes wide and unmoving, muscles twitching as if they're still being shocked. In fact, he doesn't look any different at all from when the shocks stopped. He's not even processing the barred door he's staring at.

For an uncertain period of time, precious minutes that have been completely stolen from Simon, he remains this way. Lying on the cold hard floor, limbs jerking involuntarily, breaths heaving...

And then in a flash, he gasps loudly and the life springs back into his gaze. He coughs and shivers in pain, as his head is pounding and feels like it's a nail being hammered into a wall, forcing his eyes to slam shut.



[04:28 AM] Bobby-Fulbright watches the man closely, taking in those telltale signs that he's in pain. That's exactly what he was hoping to accomplish. Exactly why he resorted to jolts of supposed justice in the first place. Still... There it is again. That instinct. That urge to rush to Simon's side and help him. It's utterly ridiculous. A contradiction. He did this. He's the one who did this because he's not Bobby Fulbright, he's the Phantom. He will never [b]be[/b] Bobby Fulbright, no matter how hard he tries. No matter how much he convinces himself otherwise.

He's nobody. Nothing more than an insubstantial phantom who was deprived of the means to interact with others like a true human being.

"... I'm sorry," he states, even if he isn't sure whether Blackquill can even hear him. With that, he turns to leave. To alert someone else of the man's condition and let [b]them[/b] take care of it. There's other matters that need the Phantom's attention.



[04:34 AM] Simon-Blackquill hears a voice, and at first, he's in too much of a daze to figure out its owner. He whines painfully as he tries to identify the voice... it's the Phantom.

That's when Simon realises he has no idea where he is or what just happened. He assumes that whatever is causing him pain... was done to him by the Phantom. A man that can't [b]be[/b] sorry. He's lying.

"...What did you do to me."



[04:37 AM] Bobby-Fulbright pauses his stride, but it takes a few seconds before he turns around to face Blackquill again. What an odd question. He blinks, shuffles his feet and continues to speak in the Phantom's voice. He can no longer pretend to be Bobby. That mindset... Maybe he lost it for good, this time. Maybe whatever shred of Bobby was left inside him withered and died at Blackquill's rejection.

"What do you mean?"



[04:40 AM] Simon-Blackquill brings his hands up to clutch his head as he writhes in pain, legs twitching, one moreso than the other. "Y-you know very well what I mean... My head. Nnnngh... What have you done to me... I-it's splitting wide... open... haaannngh... and I know you have to be responsible for this. What did you do while I was sleeping?"

He manages to growl through his slowly-formed, strained words, but his eyes don't open. They can't. He's in far too much pain.



[04:44 AM] Bobby-Fulbright can't quite make sense of this. While he was [b]sleeping[/b]...? Is that supposed to be some sort of trick? If it is, it's a very poor one. Granted, Blackquill's in no state to come up with anything that's actually effective. Perhaps that's where the problem lies.

"Don't play ignorant. It doesn't suit you," he ultimately spits back.



[04:48 AM] Simon-Blackquill brings his hands back down and finally opens his eyes, staring at them... because he's realised that his shackles have been broken. When... when did that happen?

He's in solitary confinement. The Phantom must be here because of that... he's disguised as Bobby Fulbright once again, and the sight makes Simon's blood boil, he has to shut his eyes once more.

"You tampered with my memory, didn't you! I've been drugged and injured! You are a miserable excuse for a man to resort to such tactics!"



[04:52 AM] Bobby-Fulbright can't help but feel this is a case of the pot and the kettle. What a desperate tactic. What is Blackquill even trying to accomplish? ...Ah, of course. That's how it is. At least now that his calm has returned, there's no longer any spite to his tone of voice. It's monotonous, just as it should be.

"If you're still attempting to have me enter the cell so you can tear me to shreds with your bare hands, you'll be sorely disappointed. Not even the most creative of lies would be persuasive enough."



[04:55 AM] Simon-Blackquill growls and slams his fists down on the floor. "Why would I want you near me at all?! I'd rather not want to risk having my brain even further damaged by whatever it is you've done to me!" He barks, trying to shove himself away from the wall, now.

"The only one here guilty of any trickery or deception is you, Phantom! What did you [b]do[/b] to me?!"



[05:01 AM] Bobby-Fulbright mulls those words over for a second. Brain damaged... Is that something that the jolts of justice device is capable of? It was designed to have the sort of voltage that's painful and crippling, but without any lasting damage. Of course, that depends on how long the jolts are allowed to course through the body. How long [b]did[/b] he press the button? It's all a haze, he can't remember.

But that's not the point. It's not about what he did. "... You brought this upon yourself, Simon Blackquill. I repeatedly warned you not to pick a fight with me, yet you refused to listen. They say people reap what they sow and I'd wager that moment has come for you at last."



[05:05 AM] Simon-Blackquill is not in the mood to be listening to this drivel. "And what of you, then? You expect to just walk away after what you've done to me? I haven't picked a fight with you yet, but if you're so willing to have a taste, I'll certainly draw my blade and bring it to your throat."

He would, too. And he'd enjoy every moment of it. "Now tell me what you did to me. Out with it! Now!"



[05:10 AM] Bobby-Fulbright shakes his head. Blackquill picked that fight just fine. He picked it over and over, starting over seven years ago.

"Don't tell me you can't identify the aftermath of tasering any longer," he drawls, eyes narrowing lightly. "Though, there's no need to worry. I'll send one of the guards in to check up on you once I've left."



[05:14 AM] Simon-Blackquill's eyes widen when he's finally given the answer he seeks, one hand coming up to clutch at his chest. Of course... but this doesn't feel like the ordinary aftermath of those horrible shocks. This feels different, and it doesn't usually... wait. That doesn't add up, because he'd been sleeping before then, and surely a tasering would have woken him up.

"That is a poor excuse for a lie. I'd been sleeping until just a few moments ago. You expect me to believe that I slept through such pain?"



[05:17 AM] Bobby-Fulbright is definitely going to have to send that guard in, yes. Either Blackquill seriously did suffer brain damage, or he's gone utterly insane and expects the Phantom to be manipulated by a distasteful tale like this one. ...Well, if the man [b]did[/b] forget that whole conversation they just had, that's likely for the best.

"You did not sleep through anything. Why do you think you're on the floor as opposed to your bed?" Good lord, man. At least [b]try[/b] to use that addled brain of yours.



[05:24 AM] Simon-Blackquill groans and looks behind him for his bed, only to gasp when he sees just how far away from it he is. Simon was under the impression his bed was right behind him this whole time, and he was only on the ground because he'd fallen out of bed while asleep. Wouldn't be the first time -- when he's in his cell, the floor is usually the more comfortable spot than the bed, after all. That's how much he loathes these beds.

".........How did I get this far out here? I can't even walk," he mutters, not realising he'd said it out loud.



[05:29 AM] Bobby-Fulbright is so not in the mood for this. Granted, he's not supposed to be in [b]any[/b] mood, period. "Inability to walk does not exclude crawling. With this level of intelligence, it's no wonder you could never even get close to catching the elusive Phantom."

says the Phantom to the guy whose brain he fried.



[05:32 AM] Simon-Blackquill growls and attempts to do just that -- crawl. But as soon as he starts trying to move, he hisses in pain and exhaustion and ends up staying put right where he is. The effects of whatever's been done to him still linger, and he hurts so badly.

"Get out of my sight."



[05:36 AM] Bobby-Fulbright doesn't like being told what to do by someone like Blackquill, but this is one command he can agree with. "Gladly."

And with that, he turns to leave a second time. He'll keep his word and send a guard in for a check-up though, because if he seriously did cause lasting damage, Blackquill should probably see a doctor.