[anders? theresa? someone else? looks back at wis'adel, maybe something like defiance there. the magical manacles holding this person prevent them from struggling against her, but they also don't appear to be afraid.]
What I know is that she wants me dead so that she'll become more powerful. And maybe she really even will share that power with you. But will what you get be worth what you've already given up?
[kanna looks at koharu]
You didn't deserve to fall, but can't you see that you could have started to try flying at any time? [she's speaking about the dream you keep having, as though she already knows about it.] You can't always wait for someone else.
[jiaoqiu looks at bas, apologetic.]
I know some, but likely not enough to be able to answer the questions you have. I can't tell you who you are.
[but "she" makes you think of that feeling when you saw the statue before, the way you pictured the woman in the mask and hood even though they looked nothing alike. approval, disapproval, their opinion is everything, but perhaps more because the difference between approval and disapproval is so stark.
[ he stays quiet for a moment, because-- what does he want? yeah, he's got nothing. 'cause he doesn't know anything, how's he supposed to know what he wants when there's just nothing up there between his ears.
but, well. there is something. ]
I'd wanna know who I am. Or-- what it is I don't know.
[ seems impossible, but-- he definitely wants it back. if there's something he's lost. ]
I do want you to release me. [a flash of theresa at this.] There are battles of my own I have to fight. But I can't promise it would be easy. I can't tell you who you are, though.
[they look at basilio.]
I know you were once trying to escape. You remember a person to fear, but maybe you were less alone than you thought you were.
[eupha is speaking, now, of a dream basilio keeps having. trying to flee as a small child, a woman casting magic on him, being scared.]
There's nothing I can give you in return, except that.
[whereas even this person admits, if you do this, it will make someone more powerful, someone who might be inclined to reward you, who will be pleased.
flashes of memory again.
wis'adel, you remember how it felt to let loose, to take out your pain and anger on that woman on the table, and to know you were doing it right. it felt much better, didn't it? you felt powerful, you felt in control, you felt good at this.
koharu, you remember how it felt to stand there, frozen, despite what you were being told to do, and knowing that because you froze, you'd only get hurt again and again. to not even make a conscious decision to refuse, to only do this to yourself out of fear.
saber, you remember how it felt to stop listening to that man on the table, the one who was pretending to know you but didn't even know your name. compared to the hesitation, the questions, didn't it feel better to confidently slice off his fingers?
basilio, you remember how much it hurt, every time you couldn't make yourself do what you needed to do to survive.]
two of you ask for the spear now, wis'adel and saber. there's a moment of hesitation from saber, whereas wis'adel is confident, and that makes the difference. the spear appears in her hands.
however, basilio has been prepared for someone to attempt to kill this person, so he has a moment to decide what to do as well - the moment he notices the spear appear in wis'adel's hands, while both she and saber are still focused on what they're planning to do, he gets to act first.
(thread order is now bas > wis'adel > koharu > saber)]
Edited (i keep forgetting its not aylin) 2025-02-26 21:17 (UTC)
[ well, he has all of a second at least. spears can be thrown, after all.
so he dips forwards as fast as he can and gets a hand on the spear as well. ]
What're you doin'?
[ cause, the thing is -- he remembers it all too, yeah. wanting to do what he had to to survive, and the hurt he's gone through every time he couldn't push himself far enough or hard enough. but it wasn't whoever it is chained up here that's been hurting them, was it? ]
[she's just beginning to turn aside with the spear held firmly in hand-- when he darts forward to get a hand on it as well. reflexively, her grip tightens as she tries to yank it away from him, both of her hands on it now.]
Don't get in my way!
[she doesn't remember the conversation, but the echoing feelings of it linger, from anders telling her not to become one of them. from hurting theresa, thinking she-- seemed to actually give a shit.
it felt good. she'd felt powerful. it had felt like she did something right. but that still wars with those other feelings, resulting in a spark of frustration. who fucking tells her what's right, except herself? who were they to say she wasn't enough?
she does want that control. wants to do something just because she feels like it. that's exactly why she wanted the spear she's clinging to.]
[ it's not been anyone here ignoring the part where sorrowglare went nuts and waved a sword around but that's not important right now who's been asking things of them and hurting them, right? ]
Doin' what we're bloody told don't feel good.
[ fair game, it's not gonna be too hard to wrangle the spear out of his hand necessarily. so, what now?
[all of it. everything he said, and just-- this whole experience in general, which has been fun on occasion, true, but. she's exhausted, frustrated, angry.
another pull as she wrests the spear from his hand--
and swings it at the chains holding the nightsong in place.
she's good at hurting. breaking things. but she is, still, a weapon that can turn on its wielder.]
[ saber thinks this moment of her choosing to save someone instead of opting to kill would probably be more impactful if they had any idea who any of you are ]
[this is where the beautiful nightsong track plays, as wis'adel drives the spear into the chains. the spear shatters against them, but the chains shatter as well. as soon as this is complete, the circle in the center of the platform also disappears.
you all see this battered, broken person begin to heal, begin to look stronger. you can see a theresa who is smiling, strong and kind, protected and unhurt. you see a kanna who is confident and supportive, would always catch you if you needed her but knows you won't always. you see iori, brave and determined, someone you can rely on. you see fidelio, safe, proud of you, ready to fight for you but relieved he doesn't have to. and then you see someone else, someone glowing and formless, an angel with a span of white wings, too bright for you to see. but reflected in the bright light of this person are the facets of yourself you held onto in the dark, the feelings that led you to hesitate to hurt another person even when your own life was in danger. and also reflected are the feelings of finding another person who would bother to show you a few moments of kindness, who would take the time to see you and remind you of who you are, even when both of you are suffering.
you don't know this person, but they represent something beautiful, and if you had destroyed it, maybe you would have also destroyed the last remnants of these things they represent in yourself by doing so.
you start to remember again. flashes of memories from what you've been through. flashes of your own identity, your knowledge of your history and who you are. they're coming back to you because you valued them, wanted to know who you are more than you wanted some vague promise of a power that might have been able to protect you from suffering any longer.
the being you just freed flies away into the darkness, light streaking through the dark clouded void like a comment, brightening it, and is gone.
...and in the place of that light, a sense of dread comes over you. you had better get out of here. something unbearably, unfathomably powerful is furious with you. no kindness extended can ever truly be given free from the threat of consequences.]
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holyspirits) wrote2025-02-23 02:30 pm
no subject
What I know is that she wants me dead so that she'll become more powerful. And maybe she really even will share that power with you. But will what you get be worth what you've already given up?
[kanna looks at koharu]
You didn't deserve to fall, but can't you see that you could have started to try flying at any time? [she's speaking about the dream you keep having, as though she already knows about it.] You can't always wait for someone else.
[jiaoqiu looks at bas, apologetic.]
I know some, but likely not enough to be able to answer the questions you have. I can't tell you who you are.
[but "she" makes you think of that feeling when you saw the statue before, the way you pictured the woman in the mask and hood even though they looked nothing alike. approval, disapproval, their opinion is everything, but perhaps more because the difference between approval and disapproval is so stark.
iori looks at saber.]
Why are you here? What do you want?
no subject
Oh, calm down, they'll obviously live.
[that's to everyone else. to the person, though:]
So-- what, you want us to just turn around and walk right back out of here?
no subject
[ Oh. All of that hits in a way she doesn't fully understand herself, but it doesn't seem like she has it in her to refute anything. ]
no subject
... I'm surprised you wouldn't try to get us to release you.
[ they just ignore the question. ]
no subject
...
[ he stays quiet for a moment, because-- what does he want? yeah, he's got nothing. 'cause he doesn't know anything, how's he supposed to know what he wants when there's just nothing up there between his ears.
but, well. there is something. ]
I'd wanna know who I am. Or-- what it is I don't know.
[ seems impossible, but-- he definitely wants it back. if there's something he's lost. ]
no subject
[they look at basilio.]
I know you were once trying to escape. You remember a person to fear, but maybe you were less alone than you thought you were.
[eupha is speaking, now, of a dream basilio keeps having. trying to flee as a small child, a woman casting magic on him, being scared.]
There's nothing I can give you in return, except that.
[whereas even this person admits, if you do this, it will make someone more powerful, someone who might be inclined to reward you, who will be pleased.
flashes of memory again.
wis'adel, you remember how it felt to let loose, to take out your pain and anger on that woman on the table, and to know you were doing it right. it felt much better, didn't it? you felt powerful, you felt in control, you felt good at this.
koharu, you remember how it felt to stand there, frozen, despite what you were being told to do, and knowing that because you froze, you'd only get hurt again and again. to not even make a conscious decision to refuse, to only do this to yourself out of fear.
saber, you remember how it felt to stop listening to that man on the table, the one who was pretending to know you but didn't even know your name. compared to the hesitation, the questions, didn't it feel better to confidently slice off his fingers?
basilio, you remember how much it hurt, every time you couldn't make yourself do what you needed to do to survive.]
no subject
this time she doesn't have anything to say, staring down at the figure like she's evaluating. contemplating.]
no subject
W.. what should we do?
no subject
they don't even know who these people are. but they do remember that man.
... ]
no subject
... ]
I mean. Who the hell are we to figure she needs t'die?
no subject
francy 🍙 saber Request: [d20] Roll: [7] Result: 7
weej 💣🧨 weedš'adel Request: [1d20] Roll: [9] Result: 9
two of you ask for the spear now, wis'adel and saber. there's a moment of hesitation from saber, whereas wis'adel is confident, and that makes the difference. the spear appears in her hands.
however, basilio has been prepared for someone to attempt to kill this person, so he has a moment to decide what to do as well - the moment he notices the spear appear in wis'adel's hands, while both she and saber are still focused on what they're planning to do, he gets to act first.
(thread order is now bas > wis'adel > koharu > saber)]
no subject
so he dips forwards as fast as he can and gets a hand on the spear as well. ]
What're you doin'?
[ cause, the thing is -- he remembers it all too, yeah. wanting to do what he had to to survive, and the hurt he's gone through every time he couldn't push himself far enough or hard enough. but it wasn't whoever it is chained up here that's been hurting them, was it? ]
no subject
Don't get in my way!
[she doesn't remember the conversation, but the echoing feelings of it linger, from anders telling her not to become one of them. from hurting theresa, thinking she-- seemed to actually give a shit.
it felt good. she'd felt powerful. it had felt like she did something right. but that still wars with those other feelings, resulting in a spark of frustration. who fucking tells her what's right, except herself? who were they to say she wasn't enough?
she does want that control. wants to do something just because she feels like it. that's exactly why she wanted the spear she's clinging to.]
no subject
Oh—oh no. Please don't fight!
no subject
for now, though, they will turn to look back at the nightsong as the other two wrestle for the spear. ]
How would we even get you out?
no subject
[it's as simple as that, really. by making the choice to free them, when their task is to kill them, they will be freed.
but it is the person holding the spear who needs to make that choice, as they're the only one with the ability to choose otherwise.]
no subject
Just-- it don't feel good.
[ it's not been anyone here ignoring the part where sorrowglare went nuts and waved a sword around but that's not important right now who's been asking things of them and hurting them, right? ]
Doin' what we're bloody told don't feel good.
[ fair game, it's not gonna be too hard to wrangle the spear out of his hand necessarily. so, what now?
he would free them. that's pretty clear. ]
no subject
[all of it. everything he said, and just-- this whole experience in general, which has been fun on occasion, true, but. she's exhausted, frustrated, angry.
another pull as she wrests the spear from his hand--
and swings it at the chains holding the nightsong in place.
she's good at hurting. breaking things. but she is, still, a weapon that can turn on its wielder.]
no subject
Until it hits the chains instead; with that comes visible relief, instead. ]
no subject
no subject
you all see this battered, broken person begin to heal, begin to look stronger. you can see a theresa who is smiling, strong and kind, protected and unhurt. you see a kanna who is confident and supportive, would always catch you if you needed her but knows you won't always. you see iori, brave and determined, someone you can rely on. you see fidelio, safe, proud of you, ready to fight for you but relieved he doesn't have to. and then you see someone else, someone glowing and formless, an angel with a span of white wings, too bright for you to see. but reflected in the bright light of this person are the facets of yourself you held onto in the dark, the feelings that led you to hesitate to hurt another person even when your own life was in danger. and also reflected are the feelings of finding another person who would bother to show you a few moments of kindness, who would take the time to see you and remind you of who you are, even when both of you are suffering.
you don't know this person, but they represent something beautiful, and if you had destroyed it, maybe you would have also destroyed the last remnants of these things they represent in yourself by doing so.
you start to remember again. flashes of memories from what you've been through. flashes of your own identity, your knowledge of your history and who you are. they're coming back to you because you valued them, wanted to know who you are more than you wanted some vague promise of a power that might have been able to protect you from suffering any longer.
the being you just freed flies away into the darkness, light streaking through the dark clouded void like a comment, brightening it, and is gone.
...and in the place of that light, a sense of dread comes over you. you had better get out of here. something unbearably, unfathomably powerful is furious with you. no kindness extended can ever truly be given free from the threat of consequences.]