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acatalepsy_ooc2018-08-20 11:54 pm
acatamods) wrote in acatalepsy_ooc2018-08-20 11:54 pm
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test drive meme # 3
 test drive meme #3 It happens in the blink of an eye. One moment, you are home. Perhaps you are with your family, perhaps you are at work. It's a completely normal day . . . and then, suddenly, your stomach drops. You are overcome with a sudden sense of vertigo. You cannot see up, or down, or where you are. All you hear is a voice -- light, bubbly, warm, soothing, in your ear: Don't worry, darling. This won't hurt a bit~ ♥ For those who recognize the voice, it will sound a bit strained. Possibly tired. But the moment happens so quickly it's hard to pin down, and once that moment is over, you fall flat on your face. It's bright, warm, and humid. It takes a few seconds for you to gain composure and catch your breath. You think, for half a moment, that a hand is on your back, rubbing between your shoulder blades in comfort, but when you open your eyes, no one is there. You are surrounded by ancient stone buildings, with carvings you do not recognize etched into the stone. There's a sense of nausea, overwhelming and sudden, when you realize you aren't in Kansas anymore. Even worse, it looks like the tinier inhabitants of the Forest of the Fey are acting a little cheeky.  THE TEMPLE OF BEGINNINGS. Welcome to the "Home Base" of Astoria's Circle. What the actual name of the base is called is lost to the ages, and there's no sense of where you could find it, unless you started asking around. At any rate, this is a central hub of the Circle, a place of powerful magic and mysterious energy. It is a scattering of ancient stone buildings and for the most part, it looks abandoned . . . except for what seems to be a few items, some rooms taken, items moved or organized, even a small garden planted. These are just the smallest hints that there are people here that have been here before you arrived. Overall, it's fairly beautiful. However, it is definitely not modern. Upon exploration, you find that the buildings are kept up by some kind of magic. Some of the rooms have items, things from other Circle members already settled, and others appear to be unclaimed. Pick your rooms, explore the grounds, see the beauty and wonder all around you in such a magical place. However, be careful -- the sprites that reside within the Forest of the Fey seem to be exceptionally active, today, and tricks abound wherever you look. KINGS AND QUEENS.  Typically, the sprites of the Forest of the Fey remain within the protective canopy of the surroundings. However, there seems to be something different in the air, and these little bastards are flitting about and giving out flower crowns to everyone. They are beautifully made, intricate and gloriously decorative, and most people would be happy to adorn one!There's just one problem, though -- they don't come off. No matter how hard you try, those damn flower crowns are stuck on your head, and you cannot remove them no matter how hard you try. Hope you enjoy being a fairy princess for a day. And, if you are alighted with a flower crown, your skin turns the same color as whatever flowers now sit upon your head. A wreath of blue roses? Congratulations, Violet Beauregard -- you're now as blue as a blueberry. The effect wears off in about an hour, and you can remove the flower crown then -- but have fun being every shade of the rainbow as the sprites take their time to torment the new arrivals. BALLOONS FOR EVERYONE.  Normally, there are some animals that wander within the ancient stone buildings of the Temple. Tiny little white bats, sheep that grow on the vine . . . that sort of thing. However, the sprites have elected to add a little bit more flair the Temple, and balloon animals have invaded the living space. Where the sprites got the idea for balloon animals, no one can really be sure -- Astoria seems to think the sprites are waltzing through the spirit realm and seem to have garnered an idea there, whatever that's supposed to mean.So, no matter where you go, there are balloon animals. Little dogs, brightly colored fish, dinosaurs, giraffes . . . except they seem to move, and make noise, and act like their real counterparts. Tiny balloon dogs nip at your heels, balloon fish flicker about in the waters that sprinkle themselves throughout the Forest, and balloon birds float through the skies. Bonus? If you pop them, they explode into (biodegradable) glitter. DECAYED DECADENCE.  Despite the shenanigans from the sprites, however, there seems to be something happening within the Temple that may be cause of concern. Flower crowns and balloon animals aside, there seem to be odd spots of the Temple that suddenly wilt . . . flowers that bend over and wither at a moment's notice, saplings that seem to creak as if suddenly dried from the inside out . . . and it seems, oddly enough, that it happens whenever you, an Arrival, get closer to the wild life. Astoria seems to think that something is wrong . . . perhaps something the Circle members brought back from their last trip. An illness, or something more? Care to poke about and see how far you're willing to take it? Or does your magical gift enable the protection of plant growth? Try out your green thumb and see if you can help. COMMUNICATIONS.  Upon arriving, you will notice on whichever is your non-dominant hand, you will have a fairly simply screen. A smart watch, if you will. Upon exploration, you will find that it has a directory of all those here with you at the Temple of Beginnings- names, and access to a direct message to them. The watch also has video, audio, and text capabilities, as well as what looks like a collection of messages sent to everyone who wishes to open them. This is your 'network', and also how Astoria can reach out and communicate with you. There is nothing keeping you from removing and/or losing your watch! But remember that you will not have access to this network without it. OOC: Also feel free to join us and other possible players on our discord server! enjoy! ♥ |
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When he ducks his head and makes that baleful request, she sighs through her nose, and it could almost be a laugh. It's such a stupid little problem. In the sea of a hundred concerns she's currently trying to paddle through, that he must be up to his neck in, too, it's absurd that this is the one they settle on first, and yet -- the fact that it's so meaningless is a respite. She supposes that's how their relationship has always been. ]
... Aren't they just flowers?
[ her tone is both dry and bemused. 2B quietly reaches a hand out, fingers brushing against his hair as she plucks the crown off of his head.
Or, well. She tries. It doesn't come off, of course, and it ends up being more like she tugged at his head. ]
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[ He interrupts his own self with a whine, both hands reaching up to clutch at his head.
This is a stupid problem, and frankly, 9S wishes he wasn't having it. If his face could flush it would; it's sort of his fault this happened in the first place (thinking fine, they're being annoying about it, but what's the harm?), and he feels like a fool for falling for the sprites' tricks, but, uh.
2B doesn't have to know that much.
9S slips out his own huff with a childish pout. ]
It's all those damn—things in the forest fault! If this is their lame idea of a joke...
[ He isn't impressed. Grumble grumble. ]
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It's not coming off.
[ not without taking his head with it, which she'd like to avoid, thanks. 2B appraises him silently for a few moments; he seems to be acting completely normally. A2 said they'd been here for a month, but she didn't clarify if that meant her and 9S... and even if she had, that didn't mean he remembered. Enough with this nonsense. Firming up her resolve, she decides to simply do things the only way she knows how: bluntly. ]
... I need to ask you something. What's the last thing you remember before coming here?
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It doesn't take a lot for him to figure out where this is going—it's a concern he should have considered from the get-go, given his own encounters within the Circle already. There's a hot second where 9S shares her worries; then again, if she's asking in the first place... ]
It's all right, I still remember everything about Hathaway. [ But then, a beat follows, and 9S adds with a touch of hesitation: ] ... That's what you are asking about, right?
[ just... making sure ]
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But, she thinks, she can keep going. It's all right if she can't find her footing, as long as 9S is stumbling right along with her. ]
Yeah. [ her tone eases, her customary coldness thawing to something slightly more familiar. ] Good.
[ 2B hesitates, just for a moment, before continuing. Not because this information is sensitive, but because she's certain 9S won't miss the implication that she's already run into A2. She has no idea what the relationship between the two of them is like. ]
Pod lost all its data on Hathaway. [ or, perhaps, it never had any to begin with - an answer she considers more likely. ] I thought you might have, too.
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[ He doesn't bother to clarify that her assumptions are correct. It would only mean delving into topics he's not certain he could navigate right now, not after— ]
—Wait. [ Forget all that. 9S lifts his head up at the empty space above 2B, then flicks his gaze back to her. ] Then why don't you have your Pod now?
[ She saw it, and yet...?
(She's right. He doesn't miss the implication.) ]
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... It's with A2.
[ not permanently - judging by A2's demeanor, she'd probably be giving it joint assignment between the two of them - but she had passed over its primary assignment to A2 back then, on that cliff. She'd entrusted Pod to her both to watch over 9S and to take care of A2, herself; 2B might disappear, but her will, her memories, would continue to exist. Maybe it would make sense for her to take her blade and her support unit back now that she's returned. Yet she finds herself unable to reclaim them. If she did that, it would be like it didn't happen.
And it did. As much as both she and 9S skirt around the subject. ]
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No—
[ And like that, he's gripping at her shoulders, like he's seconds away from shaking some sense into her. ]
2B, you can't—it should've never been with her in the first place! A2 alone is already too dangerous to be around here!
[ Which isn't actually true, but through the desperation in his voice, 9S sounds utterly convinced of this. Or perhaps it's what he wants to believe. ]
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Calm down. She's not...
[ if she tells him A2 isn't dangerous, will he even believe her? 2B doesn't know what happened between them after she died, but this reaction tells her enough. In those final moments, she'd prayed that he'd be safe and live peacefully, happily, like he deserved to. She'd hoped A2 would help him as she'd helped her. But from 9S's point of view, A2 looked like nothing more than a traitorous killer - just as YoRHa had always told them.
She'd suspected things hadn't worked out as she'd hoped. It's looking like she was right. This is another of her failures; she has no choice but to try and fix it. ]
... She's not dangerous.
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There's a sinking feeling within 9S' chest, fingers loosening, but not yet letting go. The pained look in his eyes may be obscured, but his clenched jaw isn't. ]
2B...
[ His voice is strained; what does he even say? 9S never would have expected her, of all people, to attempt snuffing out the burning hatred in his heart, and he feels... betrayed? No—he couldn't say that about her. But it doesn't change how much it hurts to hear her say that.
9S lowers his head, fixing his hard gaze toward the ground below. ]
How could you say that? She killed you.
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But seeing the pain on his face still tears at her, and the guilt - familiar guilt - swells up inside in spite of her resolve. ]
... I was already dying, Nines.
[ she knew she wasn't going to live, the moment she decided to send him away. The logic virus had infiltrated her system. At the very least, she hadn't wanted him to go down with her - or worse, force him to fight her again. She didn't want him to suffer anymore. 2B dying alone was the best thing that could happen to him - that's what she believed. She still believes it to some extent now; it's only 9S's extraordinary ability to forgive that lets her stand near him in this moment.
But that's why this hurts him, too. Because she'd wanted to die back then, and -- he cares about her. More than he should. Wouldn't it simply be too cruel to tell him that she'd willingly given herself over to A2? What did 9S do, after she was gone? She remembers his desperate joy when they first reunited; she sees him now, strained and upset, and she worries. ]
What A2 did... She was showing me mercy.
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He can't be, but she insists otherwise. What does he do? It doesn't leave him feeling any less angry, or heal the wounds he felt in the aftermath of it all. He may have gotten 2B back since then, but he always knew if he ever had the opportunity, he'd see to it that A2 gets what she deserves. And now, more than ever, he can't.
9S didn't think he could ever feel more lost and alone than he did back then, but this very moment now rivals that feeling.
What... does he do? ]
No, I... [ He finally murmurs again, breaking the silence left lingering between them, shaking his head as he does. ] I can't—
[ Forgive her? Accept this? Even 9S couldn't pin it down. ]
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She's grateful she was wrong. This second chance, this breath of freedom - it's precious, she knows that. But she hates that it means she has to make him suffer this way. 2B's hands clench at her sides for a moment. What can she say that will heal him? She doesn't know if there are any words that could help. ]
... I knew I wouldn't make it. But at the very least, I wanted you to be okay. [ in her final moments, that was all she could think about - hoping, praying, pleading for 9S to be safe, to find peace. There's more to tell him; she's the one who gave A2 the sword, and Pod, and she gave A2 her memories and last wishes, too. But she's afraid of giving him the details when he's already straining under the weight of the plain truth. ] When I saw you alive with Hathaway... I was glad.
[ she'd felt the need to apologize back then, too, for dying and leaving him; the suffering had been plain on his face, but both of them had chosen to ignore it. 2B hadn't thought she had any business apologizing for her death when her very existence had meant nothing but pain to him. Now she knows that he sees things differently. He forgave her for everything. Somehow. Somehow, he'd rather have her alive, even knowing how many times she'd put him to death. And knowing that, and seeing him like this, she can't bear not to apologize. She lifts a hand; softly, uncertainly, she touches it to his cheek, her fingertips brushing his blindfold. ]
I'm sorry.
[ for leaving him, and making him feel the pain that she'd felt so many times. ]
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He's piqued by the very thought in the next instant, a rigidness starting with his jaw before the rest of him becomes so. If she was so certain she was going to die, then why did she... Why did she believe anything would be okay after that?
After some time in Hathaway, the what-ifs of that scenario stopped haunting him so much, but suddenly they all come flooding back, as crushing as ever. Enough that when 9S finally raises his own hand to hers, it's only to gently pry her touch away.
For all that he wants it, right now... he doesn't know. All of this was supposed to be behind them, but perhaps it never truly was with it having been left unaddressed, and the extremely unlikely chance they'd ever cross paths with A2 realized.
Again, all he can do is bring himself to shake his head, and eases into the one thing he might be able to handle better than this current news. ]
No... No, we should just catch you up to speed.
[ Since... she just got here and all, y'know........ ]
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All she can do is reassure him that she's here now. 2B knows that if she had to do it again - if she had the option to spare him even if she couldn't spare herself - she'd do the exact same thing. He accepts her presence and has forgiven her; YoRHa no longer exists to push her into her duty; there's no need for her to destroy herself to protect him. But to give herself up to preserve him - that's another story.
And she believes - no, she knows - that he'd do the same thing.
Still, it hurts when he pushes her away. She'd spent so much time spent steeling herself against the inevitable schism that would form between the two of them; a few months passing without incident between them was enough to soften those defenses, and even this small space wedged between them stings. But how can she complain? How could she dare to defend herself here, after everything else she's done? He's forgiven her for the worst of her crimes already. If her decision in those final moments is the one thing he can't abide, then so be it.
But it hurts. 2B's hand drops away, and she shifts back, away from him, giving him space; her voice regains its even temper, but for a brief moment, her expression crumples into something sad. ]
... Yeah. We should.