c-c-c-combo breaker

[optipesimism]

the broken meme.

You may once have been a great hero, or a modest regular person. But something has pushed you past the limit. There's simply no going back to who you used to be. To be seen now, your friends, your family, would they even recognize you? Your savior was too late. The pain was too much. The pleasure was too intense. You've been short-circuited.


You're broken.

A. Post with the usual stuff! Note somewhere if there are any options you aren't okay with.
B. People can reply, with a roll for their characters or ask if you want to roll for yours in that thread.
C. Probably some triggers involved here. Read at your own discretion, etc.


1. Pain.
You've been pushed beyond your limits and become light-headed, 'floaty'. The sight of your own blood doesn't provoke a reaction anymore, and seeing a friend might cause you to smile, or talk strangely. You might not even recognize them. It doesn't hurt anymore. It's alright now.

2. Lust.
No, no, no became yes, yes, yes. Dignity and self-respect have faded, replaced by an insatiable and alien feeling of want. You've reached a point where shame doesn't even occur to you anymore. Your eyes seem out of focus and your smile doesn't look right. Look, I've made so many friends who like me...! Do anything to me if it feels good.

3. Shock.
What has been seen cannot be unseen. A revelation about a friend, a loved one, an enemy- something has shocked you in a way you can never reverse. It may change not only the way you look at someone or something, but also the way you see the rest of your life. I saw nothing, I saw nothing, I saw...

4. Oppressed.
What's it like outside my cage? Your spirit of rebellion or confidence has been cracked, and your rescuers might not be there in time to salvage what's left of your spirits. You've long since accepted that getting away from this oppression is impossible- Perhaps you've even become attached to it as the only way to live life. Yes, sir. No, sir. Sorry, sir.

5. Corruption.
Something has eroded you. You're not like you used to be. You're obsessive, your face is darker. You may even see who you were before as weak or useless. Whether it's a magic ring or Phazon infecting your body, you're going grimdark and it's looking a little too late to pull you out of it. This power is far greater than what I had before! To think I used to believe in justice!

6. Hysteria.
When you talk, you don't make any sense. Pure Charisma Break. Maybe you were a god stripped of your might, or you've suffered a terrible defeat. Either way your ego has snapped, leaving you a total mess and unable to function. But how could this be? How could I lose?!

7. Desperation.
Where before you were airy, confident, in control of yourself, you're now a ragged and fuming pile of hopeless anger. As a fighter you may have been careful or even graceful; now you swing wildly, strike without precision. You simply cannot accept the situation, cannot accept your own fall. It's not over! I'm still in control! I can still fix everything!


you can mix/change/double-up/whatever on these. enjoy. reposted since it was really popular and hasn't been posted since!

Comments

5 ;

[licks]

[For some reason, or another, she's deciding to come clean. She's in too deep, way over her head and she knows that if someone is going to help her -- if someone is going to at the very least listen to her, it's her brother.

She's pacing, her hands wringing in front of herself as she tries to figure out how to explain this.]

[motivated]

[Chris paused midstep. He'd seen Kate in a lot of ways but never like this. Keeping quiet, he considered just what could have her that upset. A million scenarios played out in his head, each one more troublesome than the last. There was no way to find out though but to bite the bullet and ask.]

If you announce your pregnant, you're done with hunting.

[He wasn't sure why that was his first, worst fear or not. And he wasn't going to think about it either.]

[licks]

[That makes her pause. Her entire train of thought forgotten.]

No. It's not -- [She frowns as she turns to face him.]

Please, I'm more careful than that. [Her hand runs through her hair.]

This is about the Code, Chris. [She brings up the word early, figuring that'll cut through everything.]

[motivated]

[It was obvious and his shoulders slumped at that, relief showing in his face.]

I trust you, Kate. At least to care for yourself. Sorry. That is the reaction of a father. I apologi...

[Well, he was almost wishing it was pregnancy when she went there.]

What about it?

[licks]

[She takes a deep breath, setting her jaw and steeling her resolve.]

The Hale fire.

[motivated]

[Some part of him, some tiny part at the back of his mind, had always known it would go here. Not that fire, not that incident exactly, but that Kate would go over to the other side.

Yet he knew he was getting ahead of himself. It was entirely possible she wasn't involved but merely knew details she had never told him.]

You know who was involved in that?

[licks]

[can they do that thing where she just gives him a look and he knows? Good, because she doesn't want to actually say it out loud. Not to him, at least.

With Chris there is no room for her own pride and ego on this one.]

[motivated]

[Sadly he pretty much knew before the look. He was just hoping it would be something else. Anything else. He was hoping for anything but that look.

And then there it was.]

Kate...

[He couldn't find words. No, he could.]

You killed children! Innocents that had never harmed a person!

[licks]

[She wants to get angry at him, she wants to yell right back at him about how she didn't come to him for another lecture - that the last thing she needs is him spouting off about the Code and following the rules.

Instead, she bites her tongue. Hard.]

With Derek back and Laura's body... they've been digging around.

[motivated]

That surprises you? Someone, you, killed an entire family and you're surprised they're looking into...

[And that was when it hit him.]

You're not telling me out of guilt. You're telling me to get my help in stopping them from their revenge when they figure it out. Aren't you?

[licks]

[She draws in a sharp breath, lips pursed slightly out of frustration.]

I'm telling you, because you're my brother and I thought if you were going to hear it from anyone it damn well was gonna be me. [If he thinks he hears a touch of pride I. Her voice, it's because even the fear of prison or worse can't shake all of her ego away.]

[motivated]

You're telling me to brag.

[He said the words flat, almost hollow even as his hands shook. Strong fingers curled into fists as he closed his eyes, forcing himself to take a deep breath. Exhale. Doing it again.]

You're coming to me because you want me to be proud of what you did.

[licks]

[Of course, he'd pick up on that. She hadn't even been sure she should tell him and then this made her feel like she'd been completely wrong in doing this.]

Chris, I told you because if you're gonna get a knock on your door asking to release me into custody - I didn't want you to hear it from them.

[Her jaw steeled, the frustration rising up.] Am I proud of what I did? Yes. Are you kidding, the way things have gone in this town are you even shocked that Hale is behind most of the shit that's here? They're risks, Chris and they would've all turned to chasing us down.

It's in their nature.

Did I expect you to even remotely understand? No. [There's a bit of hurt in her eyes at this, because she knows - she always knew.]

Nope, I expected this exact lecture and probably a few other choice words.

Doesn't mean I still didn't think you needed to hear it from me.

[motivated]

[Anger welled up in him. All he had done, followed, the very code that had directed most of his life and all of his adult life, and here was Kate flaunting it in his face.]

They had never hurt anyone! There were children in that house! Children restrained to keep themselves and others safe. You murdered them for nothing!

[He raged, face red with anger.]

You're right. I don't. You know how I feel about you hurting the innocent. Just because they're infected doesn't mean they should die!

[It hurt and it made him scared and he worried for this woman he had loved since she was a small child.

And he raged inside and out.]

And what am I supposed to do now? Just smile sweetly and pat you on the head and tell you what a good job you've done?

[licks]

[She takes it. The anger, his hatred, all the yelling and the light lecture that he managed to tuck in there. Her eyes cast downward, listening to it all as she exhales. Her shoulders slouch a bit.]

You could say goodbye, Chris. The minute that Alpha figures it out, the second the cops come for me?

I'm gone. So if you wanna be angry at me? Fine. I'll take it, I knew it'd come to that anyway.

I still wanted to tell you.

[motivated]

What kind of answer is that?

[He threw his hands up in the air and then planting them on his hips.]

Dammit, Kate. How could you do that? Please. Tell me. Make me understand how you could kill children. Children who had hurt no one! Make me understand.

[He wanted to. God, he wanted to though he didn't think he could.]

What happened to all those years of agreement of following the code? How could you do this?

[licks]

[She looks at him with a bit of confusion.]

You ask me what you're supposed to do, I tell you and then you decide to haul back into lecture land?

[motivated]

Are you kidding me? You come to me with this and honestly expect me just to turn you over the Hales?

[He stepped closer, hands balled into fists.]

Dammit, Kate. Why?

[licks]

[She frowns at him.]

Do you want the Alpha? He's protecting him. Give me up and he'll give you the Alpha.

[motivated]

What?

[It was obvious the pieces of what she was saying were finally clicking together in his head.]

No. Never. I won't trade you for the Alpha!

[licks]

[She knows she's as good as dead anyway. Even if death isn't waiting for her, she doesn't want a trial, she doesn't want sentencing, to have Allison dragged through all of that.]

It's the smart play.

[motivated]

[And that was something Chris wouldn't accept. Not until the last minute, until she was gone.

He looked down and away, pondering his words carefully before looking back to his sister.]

When have I ever gone with the smart play where you were concerned?

[licks]

[Her jaw tensed, frowning briefly as her head tipped to the side.]

You could start.

[motivated]

[When he spoke it was a growl that would do a werewolf proud.]

I'm not getting you killed, Kate! No. You know better than that!

[licks]

[she shakes her head, turning away from him.]

What else are you gonna do? I didn't leave you with many choices.