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[crittersheep]

WHO: all
WHERE: all
WHEN: Day 9, evening into night

[the sun goes down; the two moons rise.

it all looks...quite different. the laundromat lengthens and transforms the silhouette of Woolietown in the distance. the lighthouse beacon comes to life for the first time, throwing strong, brilliant light and stark shadows across the meadow and into the barns. the lazy river encircles the pasture in a glittering band, the bobbing shapes of the pool toys a little bit eerie until they drift into full view.

perhaps some of you are winding down. perhaps some of you are just gearing up for a wild adventure in the shadows. perhaps some of you, regardless of if you sleep or stay up, find your dreams and nightmares crawling out beyond the bounds of your own head tonight, drawing others in...

the night is full of possibilities.]

Comments

[catposting]

[ because he can imagine his stupid teammate making annoying worried noises about him and he doesn't like it. ]

It's no big deal. Besides, you're helping me; this forest is kind of scary, and I'd be even more lost if you hadn't showed up.

[ flashes a grin. ]

Burden for burden, yeah?

[beathollow]

... Silly. I'm doing this because I want to give an act of kindness. I don't need repayment.

[catposting]

[ blinks at her, starts laughing. it's not mocking; quest or no quest, the concept is silly. ]

What if I want to repay you?

[beathollow]

Then find something on scale to guiding the way. Jumping to murder seems a bit extreme!






... Besides. Death is an easy way out.

( weren't expectin that, were ya )

1/2 cw suicidal thoughts

[catposting]

I know.

[ he shrugs. a SMALL part of him wishes he'd never survived the experiments. or the battles after. that small part will grow and grow over time, but that time isn't now. ]

It's efficient, though.

[catposting]

[ looking mildly uncomfortable ]

Are you asking me to torture her?

[ killing is something he's used to. it's been his entire life, day in day out, for as long as he remembers. torture is just sadistic. ]

[beathollow]

No, I'd rather she never see me or anything remotely connected to me again. I was trying to say that... you don't have to go so far. Hmm... If you really want to repay me, pay it forward. Help someone else if they need it.

[catposting]

I —

[ several emotions pass over his face at once. surprise, annoyance, longing, and finally the empty look of defeat. looks to the sky, then back at her. he sighs, shoulders sagging. ]

Okay. I yield.

[ he can take the stupid floor test another time. this isn't the first one he's failed.

also he's totally expecting her to disappear into thin air or something. ]

[beathollow]

... Huh?

( she's not gone. just... very confused. even the trees feel confused. as it happens in a magic forest. )

[catposting]

[ ???

+1 to the confusion gang. whatever. ]

He's strong, you know. He could have found his way out of here alone.

[ without him. it hurts to consider. ]

I... wish he was a little more like you, sometimes.

[ what's he even saying? eh, not like it matters. he's never going to see this girl again after he's out of here. ]

[beathollow]

... In what way?

[catposting]

[ gazes at her for a while before answering. ]

You weren't content to be a slave.

[beathollow]

... It took a lot of hurt for me to realize I wasn't. Some part of me is still in denial, I admit. But once the pain got too much to bear, there were two ways out. One, irreparable- but an escape, nevertheless. The other, I could be dragged back, yes. But I would still have legs to run on,as many times as needed.

You can't force anyone to see a truth or a choice that they don't want to see. They have to be ready to see it themselves.

[catposting]

... It's fine. There's still time for him to change his mind. We'll become Rankers someday; strong enough that nobody can boss us around. Then he'll see that he doesn't need a master.

[beathollow]

And if he's still content to have one, what then?

[catposting]

[ shakes his head vehemently. ]

There's no way. He sees others as equals, even weak guys like—

[ he shifts, facing away, almost looking like he wants to squirm. ]

He... he can share his power with others. I don't really like it, but it's what he wants to do. There's no way that someone with the power to "make others equal to himself" would be content to live as a slave.

[beathollow]

And what do you want to do...?

[catposting]

I... I wouldn't mind just climbing the tower together indefinitely. Going on adventures as... as teammates. Masters of own lives.

... Without this silly power sharing business. It's weird.

[beathollow]

( oh, but didn't you share your own power with two children...?

not that the dream will say. though the princess is a mix of two fragments of the same girl, she does not interfere with either. )

That sounds nice. I hope one day, you can have it.

[catposting]

[ he doesn't have that ability yet! and won't for several hundreds of years. he doesn't want it. at this age, in this state, he's completely willing to elaborate as to why if asked. but if she doesn't ask, he'll just nod and say nothing more. ]

[beathollow]

( she won't. perhaps in another dream, they'll both be unguarded, open. the trees start to spread out, and the dark eases lightly. )

... You know. You're stronger than you think.

( also she lied about not interfering. )

[catposting]

[ the light is a welcome interruption to the uncomfortable silence. he starts to relax, heading toward the opening. ... only to halt abruptly, tail thrashing, tension returning to his shoulders as her words reach him. ]

Whatever.

[ she's trying, but words never helped anyone. words won't change his fate, nor Wangwang's. encouragement won't lead to freedom. the path ahead is bloody, unfair, and full of sacrifice; he'd accepted that a long time ago.

but she'd still helped him. he doesn't like owing people, so... words it is. he glances at her one last time, expression inscrutable. his coiled tail betrays him. ]

... I'll try.

[ to help that foolish puppy that won't let himself see reason. she didn't need to tell him that; he would have tried regardless. it's one of the few things the future ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ devoted his whole heart to. and it's the reason why this encounter will be absent from Blood Fiend's memory. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ had still had a heart. ]

Take care.

[ without looking back, he steps toward the light. ]