RITUAL 32 - never have i ever

[manwhofelltoearth]

WHO: you
WHERE: around the pasture
WHEN: morning 86

[so how are we doing, everybody? feeling a little more together? feeling a little furry, floaty, or both? well–don’t mind this newer Weed who’s just climbed up on a big rock, clapping his mildly bloody hands together to get your attention.

is that a new demon hovering around him? well–this might as well happen.]

‘Scuse me! I’m Father Argent, if we haven’t previously met. I know this is a little presumptuous and all, but it seems like most people could use a pick-me-up right now? So my friend over here and I have, well, arranged something. I hope you’ll indulge us today!

[and a little ripple of movement goes through the surrounding area, transforming it – the colours of this part of the pasture go pastel, and everything gets bubbly. rocks are now round and bouncy, the grass loses its edges and looks more like a carpet of fat succulents, fences look and feel kinda like pool noodles. you can bounce around without damaging anything, if you build up enough momentum, but even without doing that it’s just…nice to hang out on, soft and springy. there’s also some random clear spheres hanging here and there in the air, filled with small round crunchy snacks and drinks like popcorn, or pork rind and grain puffs, or gummies, or cold water, or weak beer. not enough to fill up on or really get drunk, but something to munch and keep you refreshed.

y’all are stuck here for a bit! and even if you’re not in immediate range or holed up indoors, you might feel the pull to come see what’s up – or simply be teleported into the ritual zone, in a bright popping flurry of bubbles.]

rules | turn-in | winners and prizes

Comments

[throughbamboo]

The way you're sayin' that . . . they turn on each other somehow?

[failsaver]

[ a soft, plaintive giggle. ]

Depends what you call turning on each other.

I'd call it... mm, acting on what they thought they knew better. And both of them did. Think they knew better, that is. For better or worse, they did understand the concept of love.

They both deemed themselves unworthy. The Decay had already spread so far by that point. If they'd been worthy, then how could things have come to this? A real truth wouldn't have crumbled so easily. Their idyllic life had been a lie. A farce.

Naekini—pitying them—made them an offer. The same choice I relayed to you. Save each other, or save the world from the Decay they'd wrought upon it.

The God of Discord was a merciful soul, after all.

[throughbamboo]

Hrm.

[he nods a little bit, mulling it over]

So what'd they choose?

1/2, cw passing mentions of eye scorching and extracting hearts

[failsaver]

...

Astrid, unable to bear the guilt of their actions, born from their own insidious feelings of inadequacy—looked away from her sister, and chose the world. She owed it that much.

"And so be it," declared Naekini, amused. "The world accepts your repentance. However—for the sin of betraying your own kin, never again will you behold the world you cherished."

With her left hand, Naekini scorched Astrid's eyes to dust.

Iri fell to her knees, sobbing, realizing too late the true purpose of Naekini's journey: to cause a rift between the sisters.

That was no betrayal, she insisted. That was no choice at all. It was all a lie. A dream. A nightmare. Self-inflicted deception? Hah, what a joke. This was real deception.

Everything was perfect before Naekini invaded their home. Why'd she do it?—Iri beseeched the God of Discord. Why couldn't things go back to how they were before?

So what if their hearts were empty? They'd had each other, and that was everything. Because they'd had everything, they could give others the excess. The commonfolk could take the excess.

Because that's all their beautiful, ruined land was.

"And so be it." Naekini smiled. And with her right hand, she tore out Iri's heart. After crushing the juices, the God of Discord commanded the blind savior of the world to drink.

[failsaver]

[ he exhales. finally, his vocal quality reverts to normal. ]

When the moon first rose, it rained gleamstone. The 'excess'. Of Iri's mortal body.

It never fades. The moon, that is. Day or night, rain or shine. S'always there, watching us. Or, rather... it can't leave. Can't see where to go, so it's stuck there. Forever.

Accordin' to the legend, that's why kids under the age of seven are immune to the Decay.

[ for some reason, he doesn't quite look like he believes it. ]

... I had a silly little dream, when I was a kid.

[throughbamboo]

[he crosses his arms, going over all of that in his head with a soft hum]

. . . sounds like the kinda folklore ya hear where 'm from. Nothin' bout decay, but the moon doin' this 'cuz someone did somethin' else.

Ya dreamt 'bout that?

[failsaver]

Heh. Kinda.

I've never been "empty". I had my ma, then my— the other Haze-touched. Those sisters... I thought that maybe... maybe they were just lookin' in the wrong place.

People like them, anyway. The ones with nothin' to live for.

I thought that... if I could do something—anything—to show those kinds of people that they weren't alone, then they wouldn't have to suffer as much. People around them wouldn't have to suffer as much.

[ looks to the side ]

The Decay ain't the only thing that destroys.

[throughbamboo]

Ah, that kind.

Shame ya know somethin' like that at yer age. [but he shakes his head]

But it ain't a silly dream, kid. Folks need people like ya around to try an' show 'em that - that they don't gotta be alone.

1/2

[failsaver]

...

"Every star has a story."

That's what my ma used to say. She wasn't just talkin' about the stars in the sky.

2/3

[failsaver]

But—even the stars burn out.

Surely you know that, old man.

[failsaver]

You can't save everyone. Not when they're on another side. Not when they refuse to listen. Not when all they do is take.

Ain't about who deserves what. It's about who's a threat to you and yours. Someone with nothing to live for...

[ laughs, eyes shimmering. the tears from before aren't quite dry. ]

Put it this way. If all those people had really wanted to stop the Decay, they would have killed Astrid and Iri at the start.

I'm just another Haze-touched, old man. It counts. Being hunted counts. Doin' what I have to to survive counts. I can. I have.

It ain't hard.

[throughbamboo]

[. . .]

Yer ma's a smart lady. Don't disagree with ya on most of that; end of the day, ya gotta do what ya gotta for you and yours. Everythin' ya do counts.

Lemme pose ya question in return, though.

Ya say yer just another Haze-touched: is that all ya wanna be?

[failsaver]

...

[ bites his lip. shakes his head. oh no Nue has said something funny ]

[throughbamboo]

[that doesn't seem to bother him. In fact, he just shrugs a shoulder]

You'd be surprised how much we're alike, kid.

[failsaver]

I want power.

I'm power-hungry.

[throughbamboo]

Yeah?

How d'ya plan to get that power?

[failsaver]

How would you do it?

If we're so alike.

[throughbamboo]

Power ain't worth shit if it ain't somethin' ya earn with yer own two hands. 'N it ain't worth shit if ya can't prove ya deserve ta have it.

[failsaver]

Ah. That's where we're different, old man.

[ he has not blinked for an entire minute ]

[throughbamboo]

[buddy,]

Then how would ya get it?

1/2

[failsaver]

Same way as always.

[ pushes himself up off the fence. shoots the bubbles another glance, brow ever-so-slightly furrowed. maybe the ritual bothers him more than he's letting on. ]

[failsaver]

[ then his grin snaps back into place, hand to his forehead in a two-fingered salute. ]

Cheating.

[ bye!

as in, actually bye. teleported-out bye.

*he is not that hard to find via shadow travel if Nue desires—he's somewhere in the safe pasture still—but if not then HASTA LUEGO OJISAN ]

[throughbamboo]

[. . . hrm.

Welp. Pulling out his cigarettes to pull one out and light up.

He'll get you later, brat]