(no subject)

[crittersheep]

WHO: Rose (+ visitors)
WHERE: Rose
WHEN: Day 34

[post baby ritual, the fridge has mysteriously been decorated with baby photos of Akrinak, Angel Devil, Azdaja, and Leviathan. look at how adorable you all are.

but if you're not cooing/bragging/cringing over your baby photos, then what ARE you doing around the barn?]

Comments

[pleasantmisery]

[Shadow Fiend is in and out all day doing chores, hunting, butchering, foraging, etc. as is her wont, but she may be occasionally caught in the kitchen, cooing over the baby photos.]

I'm glad that ritual's over, but you were all some pretty cute brats!

[wants_the_phd]

What is this.

[SOME of us have no recollection of this ritual.]

[pleasantmisery]

You don't remember? There was a ritual where a bunch of people got turned into babies. I had pouch thing full of pictures from it afterwards, for some reason. Look, this one's you!

[points out a picture of baby Azdaja sleeping in a steak]

[wants_the_phd]

[She heard someone mention a ritual, and she herself has a long and mysterious gap in her memory she can't account for. So as hard as this is to believe, all the evidence points to this being true.]

[...which is horrifying to think about, frankly.]



How...how long was I like that?

[pleasantmisery]

About a day? A little over a day. It started two afternoons ago and ended late last night...

[strateelgic]

[LOOK HOW ADORABLE HE IS.]

[catposting]

Long time no see, Final Boss.

[strateelgic]

It was very cute how you thought that.

[catposting]

One of us had to be cute. I stand by what I said; you were way too suspicious.

[pleasantmisery]

[LOOK AT HOW ADORABLE HE IS!!]

You were so small and round!

[strateelgic]

Not so round. I did have a tail.

[pleasantmisery]

Small and mostly round, then.

[finalbows]

<sub>[ studiously ignoring the fridge pictures as he has lunch at the kitchen counter because the most prominent one of him is of his 2 weeks old self playing airplane with baby Muffin and he can't destroy that, wtf

Finally he says, ]</sub>


...oh, I've an appointment later today I ought tell you all about.

[pleasantmisery]

An appointment???

[you can have appointments here?]

[finalbows]

This is... also a good chance to tell you the rest of what I learned about the individual we conferred about, earlier today...

In a fit of pique at some point in the past, he seems to have, possibly accidentally, sworn himself to the service of a demonic master. The contract with this 'Malfeas' inflicts him with an irresistible geas to destroy; he says he will wreak havoc upon the pasture in a year and day, destroying and devouring until it is no longer extant as a community.

If it's all true... It seems persuasion is particularly useless in this circumstance.


He also said he's just as strong now as he'll likely be if we're all still here when that day comes, so I've issued a challenge to a formal duel to the death in an area clear of collateral to measure his mettle.

[pleasantmisery]

You couldn't have challenged him to a duel to first blood instead? Or a knock out?

I mean, I'll bring you back if you do die, it just seems a little excessive...

[finalbows]

If it's not life or death, we'll hardly learn anything of import. This isn't for fun.

[wants_the_phd]

[Also eavesdropping on this whole conversation]

If you and possibly Shadow Fiend and Blood Fiend are going to have a throwdown with some rando, I wanna watch.

[finalbows]

To be clear, I'm not instructing you to help me bumrush the man as a flock, I'm challenging him to a duel out of respect for his politesse and clear longing for the embrace of death.

It shall be this evening, by the lakeside.

[wants_the_phd]

Oh, no, to be clear, I have no intention of getting involved. What could someone like me do, anyway?

Nah, I just want to watch. Maybe bring a snack or something.

[finalbows]

Pomegranate is traditional.

_{[ he made that up. ]}

[catposting]

I'm just watching. Let's have a picnic to the side.

[wants_the_phd]

That sounds like a nice way to spend an evening. Have a snack, maybe get lightly horrified, enjoy the sunset...

[catposting]

Yep. Just another day in the pasture.

nebulous day 34

[catposting]

About the play — Blossom didn't tell me much. She claimed to be forever alone and admitted to hating herself.