featherduster | ( sheep ) ic inbox

[someone is ignoring the trench and just sending a ghost across to knock politely on the door]

[ Expecting this, so he pulls the door open with no fuss ]

Yo! What's up?

Ah--well. I wished to say thank you properly, and also to talk. Would you mind a walk?

[the ghost also puts a covered basket down in the doorway before retreating back into the ether]

Thank me . . . ? Sure, a walk is fine.

[ Taking a peek under the cover before safely relocating the basket inside and hopping the trench ]

[it's a bunch of fresh peaches (what did you expect), a couple more honeysuckle flowers, and also a sealed milk bottle of weird goop labeled GOOD FOR ONE NEW LIMB (WE HOPE). DO NOT DRINK. DO NOT TOUCH WITH BARE SKIN]

Charon waits for him to be on a level before nodding and turning to walk out of the Bluebell meadow proper, quiet for the moment]

[ HEY CHARON???????

He'll puzzle that one out later, it's fine. Falling into step with him, patting literally every sheep they pass along the way. ]

[they are so much littler than you, Minuet. watches this in fascination]

You have been inordinately kind, these past days, and I have met that poorly. It did not seem right, to continue on that path, or to let it go unacknowledged and unsaid.

[ Hmmmmmmmm actually not sure what to do with gratitude. wtf. ]

To be fair, I did shoot your new guy and all, so fair's fair.

The two are separate matters. We begin to fall into an unfortunate pattern where kindness and consequence are conflated, due to tensions in the moment; I'd like to head it off.

...

But also, please do not shoot him again if he is not attacking you.

Don't worry, don't worry, I never attack from the same direction twice.

I'm satisfied for now anyway.

Interesting how unclear which of those points you were addressing.

[he is less needling and just observing it this time though. there is a tone difference.]

[ lmao ]

Regardless, no more gunfire near Lily barn. ☆

Regardless.

...it's appreciated. My world has guns, and ship's cannon, but they are very, very rare.

[i had to look this up and apparently guns were developed for proprietary use by like one single assassin's guild ever so WHATEVER, SUIKODEN]

So you normally fight with . . . swords? Or--

[ uhhhhhh what do you call the giant fire boat ]

Spells?

Archery and various Rune spells for range, for the most part. Melee and cavalry are a more mixed bag. Rune cannons are themselves enhanced with magic, and fire magical artillery to bypass shields; I have never encountered a Howling Voice operative's guns, but they are presumably so to a degree as well. That yours are only steel is outside of my prior experience.

Edited 2023-06-23 17:23 (UTC)

That kind of artillery is what my own world considers ancient tech . . . we don't really have magic, though. Just science.

[ after the wolf and dumbasses have gotten infodumped by Stormy, before the meat and tea date ]

[ anyway someone was watching last night's fiasco from the lighthouse. and you'd rolled out of Bluebell as a bird BEFORE Styx had arrived and worked his illusions, so

here's a catcube, ringring ]

[ "Meat and tea date"....... ]

Yo.

[ Very casual

Ordinary day at Bluebell, nothin goin on ]

Yo!

You didn't eat Fantasia, did you?

[ this is now before the Fantasia talk too ]

[ HE ALMOST HANGS UP ]

. . . What are you, some kinda stalker?

You're telling me that you wouldn't look out the window if a series of deafening midnight howls woke you up?

Relax, I didn't tell anyone. I didn't even leave my room.

[ friendly astral chats with Zenith and Fantasiawolf don't count. and yes, the control center is his room now. ]

[ Mmmmm .............

"Relax, I didn't tell anyone" sounds distinctly like the preamble to a blackmailing ]

Fantasia's fine, nobody got killed.

[ snickers. paranoid, much? ]

What'd you do, sit on him until dawn?

Yyyyyyesss?

.......... Did Bluebell's magnet spell not work?

Thought about it, but holding a spell for eight hours is way more tiring than just sitting on him.

That's fair.

Anything you want to share regarding the wolf situation? If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not wake up to being attacked by a wolf without knowing how or why it happened.

Ugh . . . yeah, we probably gotta warn everyone.

Apparently there are beasts in the mists that inflict a curse if you're bitten. The curse turns you into a wolf every night, and if you're not cured, it eventually becomes permanent.

According to Stormy, the only cure is some gruesome nonsense about desiccating hearts, or eating a flower that only grows in the mists.

[ uhhh . . . ]

Also it's contagious . . .

Please say you're not expecting to be sat on.

Not sure there's anybody up to that task, chief!

[ Internally vibrating into the fucking sun about whether or not he could be contained at all if he went berserk actually. Thank u for stepping right onto that exposed nerve. ]

It's fine, we've got the cure flower.

[ look he doesn't know what u don't tell him ]

That's... convenient. What does it look like?

Fantasia brought some back after their trip to the mists, thankfully. Not that he knew what it was.

It's pretty distinct. Bright purple . . . I made sure to make a sketch of it.

He brought back the cure. By accident.

If you're intending to warn everyone, I take it you'll be distributing copies of the sketch?

I don't exactly wanna trivialize how dangerous it is to wander out there, either . . .

Iiiii doubt that most people would walk into the mist in the first place.

[ Blood Fiend is not most people. ]

. . .

I literally cannot imagine why you believe that.

More people would be dead or cursed otherwise.

It's been two weeks. Give them time.

You have surprisingly little faith in the people you want to save.

It's because I have faith in them that I think they're gonna try shit, actually.

[ HUMANITY IS TENACIOUS AS HELL, YAS ]

It's just a bad idea in this case specifically . . . I'll talk to Fantasia about it. The warning should come from him and Zenith anyway, as the ones who went out there.

[ BLOOD FIEND HAS DOUBTS when it comes to his own flock specifically — but the newbie is reckless enough for the entire barn AND is the only pure human, so maybe Minuet is onto something. ]

Mmmm. Got it. I'll leave you to it, then.

[ poof ]

[Minuet the Travesty answer your cubecall]

[ It picks up but like. He doesn't actually answer.

Like maybe he's playing dead. ]

If you passed out I'm gonna come over and steal all your clothes. Is Charon over there?

Maybe. Why?

It was a yes or no question. If he looks like he's going to pass out, make him drink some water. It'll help with the hangover. You too.

If he actually passes out just leave him there we'll come get him later and don't you dare wake him up.

If. . . If. . .

I have a question for you.

He's got an air about him like he's still too sober, actually.

[ . . . ]

What's the question?

Well, don't give him any more alcohol. I want those points. If he's going to drink more he can come over here.

[there is a long, long pause where minuet can hear some hemming and hawing on the other end]

Do you...uh. I don't really know how to ask this. Have you seen Styx's kids at all? The ones from the orphanage. Recently, I mean.

[ Is absolutely going to give him more alcohol. U ain't our dad.

But also this question has him even more deeply suspicious and wary. ]

. . .

Yeah, I visit 'em regularly.

Why?

. . .

. . .

Good.

Don't go anywhere.

[HANGS UP]

[ . . .

???????? ]

[Minuet the Travesty answer your cubecall again]

[ oh my god ]

WHAT?

Minuet! Speedrun challenge! Quick, tell me five things that make you happy. GO~!

[ HANGS UP ]

[CALLS HIM BACK IMMEDIATELY]

[ bruh ]

I'M BUSY MAKING LIKE THIRTY HERBS!

[damn that's fair]

Okay, call me back when you're done.

[ GOSH

Calling him back like............. two hours later ]

Who's askin'?

[he picks up. there's probably yelling in the background. who knows at this point. his little cube person raises a tiny hand]

Me!

Glazed donuts, chocolate donuts, jelly filled donuts, crullers, sprinkled donuts.

It's also for Styx, answer for real you jerk.

[ what ]

Why?

It's a secret! It's a surprise! Anything you say can and will be used against you. I didn't mean to say that last part, please ignore it.

[ UGHHHHHHH ]

Donuts, flowers, hooch that doesn't make me blurt out things I don't wanna say, world peace . . .

[ . . .

Long silence. Yoojin he's never been happy in his life

Imploringly: ]

Four's enough.

World. Peace.

[god he hates you both]

[ PUFFS UP INDIGNANTLY ]

What's wrong with world peace?! Nobody'd be dying in wars and people could live happily!

I was looking for something a little more personal.

I can't think of any, okay?!

Why not?!

I've never thought about it!!!!

Well think about it some more! Tell me when you have five.

Maybe I won't! You're not the boss of me!

If you don't call me back when you have five things I'm going to come over and blow up your house.

YOU CAN'T BLOW IT UP ANY WORSE THAN WE ALREADY DO!

[ HANGS UP ]

Minuet?

( yes she's here to shoot him. but she's going to be polite about it at least because YIKES bluebell- )

[ WHAT'S YIKES. THEY'RE FINE (no they're not)

Popping up from behind the bar. ]

Oh! It's Miss Sonata again!

Hello! I have... a favor to ask. It's a bit silly, but it's for Red.

I have to shoot three drunk people in the face with a water gun.

[ THIS TURNABOUT . . . ]

No no, you gotta try again!! You burst in with your gun blazing and shout this is a hostile takeover! I'm not taking any prisoners!! and then start blasting! Maybe leap dramatically over the bar. Strike a cool pose!

( BIG BLINKS.... before she sheepishly smiles. )

You are severely overestimating me right now, Minuet. I've had a lot to drink...

( SHE IS DOING SO WELL BEING COMPOSED WE CAN'T BREAK IT OR SHE'S GONNA NAP FOREVER )

That'll surely just make you even better! You've got this, I believe in you!

No, no it won't. ... Too much pressure...

( droopy cat ears... flustered!!! )

[ ................ baby girl

Ok.

Leans his forearm on the bar. ]

Okay, okay. I'll hold really still and you get in a practice shot, how about that?

Okay. Okay, that works. ... Also I'm sorry for being bad at this, I'm- I'm 14 beers deep. I'm stopping after this I promise.

( DO NOT ASK HOW SHE IS FUNCTIONING SHE IS DOING HER BEST BUT SHE HAS HER LIMITS. PLAYING IS APPARENTLY ONE OF THEM.

but she will! aim! and fire!! )

[ IS SHOT

Some hair droops into his face

He is unconcerned by this ]

Fourteen?!

Not all at once!

( nooooo don't be disappointed in her :( :( :( :( )

A-and Angel Devil helped me about midway...

[along with his copy of this note Minuet gets an extra page. ftr the two white bands on the middle figure's neck are actually meant to depict a black collar, word of Ash.]

As promised, a translation. Some kind of covenant between sheep, fanged beasts and farmers? Stormy obviously has a tie to the Wolf King he is not aware of, and Blossom says the Wolf King is present in the fog. Black collars count as fanged beasts and can read the book safely, it turns out, but Lethe doing so briefly accidentally empowered them all to perform rituals, if he did not mention that to you already, so I do not think just handing it to one of them is safe, even if you trust them.

I am sharing this information with Thistle as well. Thistle is tentatively planning something in the fog and were advised this information was an important clue on how to proceed, but I don't believe details are finalized yet.

Could you let me know if you also plan to move on this information and how, so we do not overlap? Thank you.

]

Edited 2023-07-03 23:39 (UTC)

[ A little bit later. RING RING CUBE PHONE ]

[sorry you had to blow up his phone anyway. picks up like two rings in]

Good morning, Minuet.

Yo. Thanks for the intel. Not gonna lie, I wouldn't have blamed you for not sharing.

[ Is pleasantly surprised that he did tbh ]

I keep my word when I can.

If we get the book a second time it may indeed have to be a weed reading it, though. Nyx has returned home.

That was -- Lyra's brother, wasn't it? That explains your new guys . . .

Geez . . . can that kid not catch a break?

I don’t know what to do for her. I hope Clover does.

[quiet…]

I'm sure they'll think of something . . . they're all good kids. [ . . . ] And Zenith. But he's protective of 'em, too.

Maybe I'll drop off some food later . . .

Anyway -- I've got a few thoughts. Maybe this would be better in person.

Where is good for you?

Bluebell. Kids're out, mostly.

Unless you've got somewhere more discreet.

Perhaps if we win a game that lets us improve more than our rooms. Not that that much wasn't unwelcome.

I'll be over shortly.

[the cube blinks out! a ghost is knocking on Bluebell's door shortly. the moat is really good at keeping Charon out otherwise.]

[ Opens the doo-- oh.

Right.

. . . ]

Are you gonna endure the indignity of getting you over here?

[with incredible politeness]

If our mouths actually touch I will end you; otherwise, yes.

[ VALIANTLY does not laugh ]

That's only if you break your leg in the process!

[ Anyway. Enjoy being yeeted over the moat by magical momentum. Yoted, as it were. It seems the target is Bluebell's front door so maybe put a hand out or something to prevent becoming one with it. ]

[whatever! Minuet already carried him in here while he was half-dead once, this is way less embarrassing. catches himself with his hand and staff, with the air of someone resigned to getting tossed around on the reg]

Bluebell truly did not want the snake reinvading, I see.

Ehh, it wouldn't work for that anyway. He used a portal to come in.

[ Beckoning him into the barn, which is in much less disarray than it was last time Charon saw it ]

It does mean nobody can loot the alcohol in progress, though.

[gives the relative tidiness an approving look]

Have you had a lot of threats over that? I feel like even if you have, they must die down for a while after the last couple of days we've had.

No, thankfully . . . you're right, though. Demand's probably waaaaaaay down.

Sucks. I was hoping to leverage it for some trades.

You might still have some luck. There's something to be said for a brew that doesn't induce truth.

What are you looking to get?

Scarce resources, favors, or information, as our needs require them.

You could just ask.

Well yeah, that's plan A.

The alcohol's plan B.

[ HE'S NOT FROM A PLACE WHERE COOPERATION IS EXPECTED, CHARON ]

[that was a STRONG HINT he hates desert planet gun people so much*]

If you don't come to Lily for plan A first, I'll be a little offended.

[ . . . CUTE . . . ]

It wouldn't be a very good negotiation tactic anyway, considering I already gave you some for free.

I'm sure Styx would appreciate more of a ready supply from you. But, nonetheless. You had a hope; I said I'd fulfill it, if I could.

That you did. Fortunately, we're not wanting for much by way of information or materials right now.

Well . . . information actually available to any of us, that is.

She's stopped carrying it in public. We either have to find other sources of that information, or start making more inadvisable moves outside the fence to see what turns up, or...most likely, some combination of the three.

I'm less willing to take big jumps with the eye wide, though.

Speaking of that . . .

[ Rummaging in his pocket and pulling out the glowing star from earlier ]

Did you get one of these?

Yes.

[he doesn't take it out, but he touches one of the side pockets of his coat where he's keeping it]

I had noticed the stars in the page diagram, as well. But I do not have a good relationship with any currently black-collared who would have received one, to see what that might bear out.

Oh, yeah . . .

[ Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ]

I don't suppose Lethe would still count, huh?

We can test it, but it is unlikely. He also may not have a star.

[RING RING RING AVATAR PHONE]

[ Picking up after a few rings ]

Just who I wanted to talk to!

Whoa. Am I that popular today?

I dunno, are you? You got people banging down your door?

No, but Charon gave me some love letters today.

["love letters"]

He said you were going to get some too, though that's not the reason I'm calling.

I did, though they weren't very romantic.

What's the reason for the call?

. . . is your team okay. . .

[HE SAW. . . YOUR BARN. . .]

We're fine now . . .

[ "NOW" ]

Funny you ask, that's kinda related to what I wanted to talk to you about.

[oh good, SAME PAGE]

What happened?

Charon mentioned something about Thistle planning to go into the mists. Before you do, you should know there's something out there that inflicts a curse if it bites you.

Fantasia got bit. Every night, it turned him into a beast that attacked everything indiscriminately. We were busy subduing him in the barn the night before the ritual started . . .

[. . .]

[considering the themes of this place. . .]

Was that beast a wolf?

Got it in one.

The cure is a flower that only grows out in the mists. If the cure isn't administered quickly, the transformation can become permanent. Stormy wasn't exactly clear on how long "quickly" is, so I wouldn't mess around with that timeframe.

If you do go out there, take special care not to let anything break skin. It's contagious once someone is cursed, so just one person being infected could spread it to the rest of you. And maybe bring back a supply of those flowers, just in case . . .

Edited 2023-07-04 16:49 (UTC)

[I'm sorry he's LORE FAMILIAR with a lot of basic mythology, so--]

Is it wolfsbane?

[that aside. . .]

. . . we'll keep it in mind, though. We've been out in the mist before, but since we were following Red, the path we took was devoid of any werewolves.

Yeah. Purple flower, I made a detailed sketch if you wanna see it.

What's your plan for this go-around?

[tapping his cheek thoughtfully]

. . . Blood Fiend brought up the possibility of stealing a golden statue from the demon ram's den. Thistle would like to follow through with that plan, though we're not so stupid as to just go barging into the mist without any resources.

I don't think we'll do anything while the eye is open, but I think we can use this opportunity to start preparing for another excursion to the demon ram's cave.

Definitely wait til Death's not looking . . .

What's the significant of the statue, though?

We're not entirely sure.

But. . . I think they were former "sacrifices."

Oh.

That's . . . grim.

[ why is this place like this ]

Mmmyep.

[WHY IS IT LIKE THIS INDEED]

There have been plenty of allusions to there being a group of people here long before us. There's a chance that those statues are those people.

So if we can. . . "liberate" one from that demon's lair, then maybe we'll be able to find out more about what happened in the past.

It's worth a shot.

. . . That demon seems pretty vengeful and uppity about his sacrifices, though, so I'd expect retaliation.

Haha.

[the driest laughter Minuet has ever heard]

We'll take that into account in our plans. The last thing I want is for the other teams to suffer for our heist.

Give someone a heads up when you're heading out, just to be safe. We'll be fine here in the pasture, ritual or no; it's you guys I'm most worried about.

Nah. . . Thistle will be fine. We're pretty crafty, you know?

Charon already made me promise to let both you and him know when we put our plan into motion, so I intend to follow that through.

[ Thumbs up ]

Thanks. And if you need anything, just say something. I know it's not everyone's style around here, but I'm not tracking debts.

[ ring ring ring ring ring ]

[ Picking up almost immediately ]

Yo. Still alive?

No, I'm a ghost. Wooooooooo.

Bullshit. If you suddenly had ghost powers you'd have phased through a wall to scare the crap outta me.

I'm building up to the surprise power reveal.

You busy?

Nope. You hoping for a playdate?

Yeah, why not. Lighthouse. Control room.

[ hangs up. he'll be waiting!! ]

[ What.

This is EXACTLY how a villain would try to lure him into something sketchy.

Which is to say: he arrives fifteen minutes later, poking his head in through the door. ]

Is this like your secret base or something?

[ you're gonna LOVE his villain cosplay. ]

I prefer "lair", personally. Makes it sound more catlike.

[ he's leaning against the wall, arms folded, relaxed. he looks a lot better than yesterday; still a shade paler than usual, but otherwise normal. and like he actually slept, for once. ]

I made a pact with the psychic birds.

[ Of course you did you DUMB FUCKING CAT ]

For what, exactly?

You know what happened to Perci, right?

[ His expression darkens pretty much immediately ]

Yeah.

[ shrug. Blood Fiend is perfectly chill about all this in contrast. nothing weird here going on, no artificially enhanced calm here nope ]

It's to prevent that.

What could you possibly have offered to keep them from messing with people's heads?

Wouldn't be able to tell you. They must have seen something they liked.

The wording of the pact was incredibly vague, but they did agree to spare Lily from their "gift" for the duration of the pact.

[ Eyes narrowing ]

You don't know what you agreed to give them?

Not really, no. But it's a one on one deal.

Why Lily?

[ nonchalantly, with zero hesitation ]

I owe them a debt.

[ u ever have a conversation where you're doing literally all the fucking work ]

For what?

[ yeah every conversation with Rose, thanks for asking ]

Multiple things. Depends on the Lily.

Anyway, the birds didn't put me in that state; I did that myself. Mental shielding isn't really my forte.

[ Thinks about Perci's mindscape.

,,,, ]

But were you successful?

Seems like it. We shook hands, so to speak.

[ then she flooded him with a big black hole of despair! good thing he can simply override that memory with tranquility!! ]

I was pretty drained after, though. Hence the nap.

[ Thinks about the psychic hangover he himself has experienced.

Yeah Yas probably isn't even lying. ]

If you shook on it, that means you know what the terms were.

"Within the next two weeks, give us a task you want our assistance with. In the two weeks after that, we will give you one, and we can trade off from there."

[ with extreme amusement: ]

"We cannot give you concrete terms, but we will be fair."

That's . . . it?

Yep.

They're gonna ask for something terrible.

They told me they'd never ask for something more difficult than I asked of them, and said that I could bargain down the difficulty.

[ . . . ]

Well, can't say they're not interesting.

[ ohhhhh my god ]

I've had it with these goddamn birds.

[ lmao ]

How's Perci?

. . . The same, mostly. His mind's pretty torn up. If he's gonna pull himself out of it, it'll take time.

Mmmmmmm.

[ a thoughtful expression. ]

If anyone can do it, it's Perci.

Yes. I agree.

He's pretty formidable, y'know?

[ a smile — genuine, no Enhance ]

He is.

You guys seem close.

Are you?

What?

[ what? ]

[ ??? ]

He likes to cuddle cats.

[ ??????? URSELF ]

You're not literally a cat.

He likes to cuddle cat people.

Okay, fair enough.

I'm just surprised you let him.

[ ? ]

It's not like he's a bad cuddler. He's a lot better than me at it.

How should I put this?

People with your hangups don't usually go around cuddling a whole lot.

[ ASK HIM HOW HE KNOWS!!!!!!!! ]

[

lmao. looking incredibly amused ]

It's just Perci. Because he asked.

[ . . . ]

Cute.

Don't get the wrong idea.

You're fond of Perci enough that if he asks you to snuggle you don't say no, what's the wrong idea?

[ god how does he even word this out loud ]

... I'm practically ancient compared to him. You'd think he'd find it weird, right? But he still asks. He seems to enjoy it. And... it should feel weird to me, but it doesn't. It doesn't even feel like a —

[ internally he is dying but outwardly he has a completely straight face ]

... parent-child scenario. It's just a snuggling scenario.

[ Realizing he has no fucking idea how old Perci is, but ]

. . . How old are you, exactly?

I have no idea.

How.

I'm too old.

[ Dear god,

Please let him finally fucking die before he becomes a Blood Fiend.

Signed, Vash ]

That's a nightmare.

[ with a faint smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes ]

Could be worse.

[It's a cube from that weed people sometimes see.]

[ ???????

Picks up after a few rings ]

Hi.

Hello Minuet.

How are you?

[ NOT GREAT ]

Not dead yet.

What's up?

...Is that despite someone's efforts?

Not today.

[ This is true. ]

That's... good.

[said cautiously, wtf Vash]

I guess you're wondering why I called you.

Kinda, yeah. Did something happen? Do you need help?

Yes... though not exactly dramatic help.

So many flocks are placing defenses around their trees. And food is so hard to forage, hunt or trade for...

Can you spare anything?

Of course.

Swing by and I'll make up a bundle for you.

Thank you so much!

You are such nice people...

There's no reason for anybody to go hungry when there's plenty of food to go around.

Not for weeds.

[also she showed up over here]

[ hey Minuet bet you're sick of this cat by now huh ring ring ring ring ]

[ PICKS UP ]

You're about to say something that suggests you're not minding your business.

[ WELL THIS WASN'T WHAT HE WAS GONNA OPEN UP WITH BUT ]

You put her voice in my head.

[

HANGS TF UP!!!!! ]

[ lmao

just leaves a message ]

Say you had a companion you couldn't hurt or kill. Even if you were trying.

Would you accept it then?

[ bitch

CALLS BACK ]

[ picks up ]

Long time no see.

Borrowed power is such a funny thing, don't you think?

[ ah. that scene, huh.

TIME TO BUS HIMSELF FOR ROSE by outing his canon power HE GUESSES ]

It is, isn't it? I didn't think my power would work here in this knockoff state. Sure didn't work against the ram demon.

Can you walk?

Edited 2023-07-18 03:48 (UTC)

[ Hmmmmm ]

Why wouldn't I be able to walk?

Your guilty disposition suggests that something happened. Even I, a cat that minds my own business, can pick up on that kind of behavior.

The "guilty disposition" is just my personality, asshole.

You never even answered the question, companion.

I can walk just fine, thanks for asking.

Edited 2023-07-18 04:26 (UTC)

That's good. Well, if you want to do a mutually terrible job of minding our own business, I'm in my sketchy lair.

No pressure; I can always go chasing complicated and dangerous birds by myself.

[ hangs up ]

[

You insufferable fuzzy ball of cat shit, fuck you ]

[ JOKE'S ON BLOOD FIEND!!!! HE'S TAKING A NAP!!!!! ]

[

]

[ KICKS IN THE DOOR OF THE CONTROL ROOM TEN MINUTES LATER ]

[ he was lounging on the windowsill. sits up. ]

You never get to accuse me of not minding my business again.

[ how's Minuet looking today? all good??? ]

Edited 2023-07-18 04:44 (UTC)

[ Like he got hit by a bus and then the bus backed over him twelve times ]

Her name's Hope.

[ What the fuck is he talking about ]

[ with a look that clearly says "you look like shit, by the way" ]

Her name's Hope.

How much do you know?

[ furi: exactly how much fuckin around and finding out have you done, Blood Fiend ]

I know that she's buried under an entire star-destroying hivemind that wants nothing more than total oblivion.

She called for help. So I found her... for a second, at least.

...

It was exhausting. Seems like you found her for longer than I did.

. . . She's trapped in there.

They all seem to mesh, except her. It's like they locked her up.

... It's a terrible and risky idea to try to save her, you know.

Didn't say anything about any ideas.

[ lmao ]

I know. But like I said, I'm going to go look for her. Not now, but... at some point.

So if you ever do get any terrible and risky ideas... working together wouldn't hurt, right?

[ . . . ]

Kind of a venture outside of your comfort zone, isn't it? Working together.

I've done it before.

[ very, very casually ]

Those guys all died, though. So don't die. It's inconvenient.

[ MMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmm ]

No time for that. Still got a lot of shit to do.

[ . . . ]

Have you done it before? Working together.

Yup.

[ Doesn't elaborate ]

Alrighty then, what's the extent of your psychic abilities? 'Cause there's no dealing with them without that.

Here? I can pull on mental hooks that already exist. Make them bigger, in a sense. That's how I exhausted myself the other day.

... It should be full mind control, but I'm limited here. I wonder if my natural resistance still works, though...

[ shoots Minuet a Look ]

I haven't had a chance to test that in isolation. Could be worth a try.

You?

[ "Full mind control" no thanks stay nerfed ]

I can't control people or whatever, but if I'm in physical contact with someone, I can connect our minds. That's how I entered their shared consciousness last night.

[ And probably why he has the Perci deets that he does ]

... So if I make the 'Hope' part of the birds bigger, it should be easier for you to reach her, right? Theoretically.

. . . Maybe.

She used some kind of power to help me get out of there in one piece. If making her personality stronger against the other minds works how I'd expect it to, it may make it safer to actually get her out, too.

Mmmm. Did you see her use any of the Weeds' powers? Rain is... well, rain, and I can handle gravity fine, but the shadow ability could make things tricky if we want to keep her in one place.

I don't actually know what any of 'em can do besides make you tell the truth.

[ me having to sift through my own inbox to find what Charon of fucking Lily told him 6 ~~lifetimes~~ days ago ]

Stormcloud summoning, force manipulation — like Bluebell's ability, but with higher area control... I think.

Teleportation and stealth within shadows. That's the tricky one. And the truth ability. I haven't seen other shared abilities so far, and haven't seen anyone use all four.

Oh. Great.

[ WELL. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. ]

Still, what makes you assume she'd try to leave?

... What makes you think she wouldn't? Do you think she'd sit there and hold still if you asked her nicely?

It's not about being nice enough. It's about being interesting enough.

So what's your elevator pitch?

[ do you know what an elevator is ]

[ Sir he grew up on a spaceship ]

Don't got one.

I'm just confident in my ability to draw aggression.

[ hmmm. ]

How'd you draw aggression the last time?

?

Was myself.

[ honestly this is a really good time for the cubecall to pop up ]

[ Yeah tbh

This may as well happen ]

[ring RING RRING RING RRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIINGGGGGGGG]

[ Picking up pretty much immediately ]

Oh god, what now?

Sorry.

[ACTUALLY IS KINDA]

Perci is stirring. We think he's beginning to come out of it. Can you come--?

Edited 2023-07-19 17:52 (UTC)

[ oh ]

I'll be right there.

I'll meet you at the door.

[hangs up]

[whatever else Minuet dreams in this time, he does have this experience:

he is in the dark, but his hands are visible, cupped around a tiny glowing light. sometimes it looks like a feather, sometimes it looks like a flower, sometimes it looks like a star. it feels like his and not his. its glow doesn't reach far, but it doesn't go out, either.

there's a second pair of hands he can see settled around his. they're much smaller, washed colourless, fine-boned and delicate. they feel chilled, though the one touching his nonmetal one is borrowing a little of its warmth.]

((THIS WILL BE SHORT AND CAN BE PICKED AT WHENEVER, I PROMISE))

[ It's easy to know when it does feel like his. The flower is always red then.

Usually his mind is silent, in a contented sort of way. Not questioning the company in favor of simply enjoying it. But, eventually, he does ask.

Hope? ]

Edited 2023-07-22 04:19 (UTC)

Greetings, Minuet.

[the voice is still so small, so soft. a girl whispering to a single light, at the bottom of the deepest well in the universe. not quite entirely lost anymore, and not yet found.]

Can you hear me...?

[ He remembers that feeling.

But a comforting voice managed to reach him then, too.

I can hear you. But whether it's a dream or something else, I can't tell. ]

It's real enough to work, and that's what matters.

[there's a smile in her voice, briefly, though it sobers]

Thank you for reaching out. And I am sorry, for the harm caused by my sisters and I. It has been...a long, long time.

[ Your sisters . . .

Cool. Cool cool cool. Cool.

Why have they imprisoned you? ]

I am, or was, a remote terminal. My sisters explored other stars, and I remained by our creator's side. They reported their findings to him through me, utilizing our joined consciousness. I learned...a little more of life apart. Not enough.

[Minuet can actually feel thoughts and images trying to press through their connection to him, a natural form of communication to show him a broader picture of what she's talking about, but the channel is too narrow and tenuous to put them through, just now.]

When they fell into despair, they stole me to them; others could have reached them through me, otherwise, to stop them.

[ There's a sensation like perhaps he realizes what she's doing and attempts to help . . . but without a physical connection, his abilities are limited. He relents.

This despair . . . from what I hear, they're intent on spreading it. ]

They...

The question they...we...were asked to find the answer to...

"Does life have meaning? What do other races, on other stars, live for?"

[the connection actually flickers for a moment, much like Minuet's flickered in the mindmeld but in the opposite direction, something dark and too-heavy rather than a bright boost crossing it like a cloud over the sun]

[ . . .

Something sharp and too close and still so acutely painful flares up, before being dragged back into the depths.

And the answers they found among the stars weren't to their liking? ]

[her hands, their one point of anything even close to physical connection, tighten slightly on his, a comforting gesture. he can feel the vast, distant strain she makes to complete the psychic movement of her touch.

but her answer is bleak nonetheless.]

"Though worlds apart, these peoples shared a belief. The belief that they had tried their best; that they had tried to fulfill their potential, with every step and success. In the course of this they learned the truth: that they would never be free of fear and sorrow, anger and despair--of loneliness--so long as they yet lived."

It hurts them so, still. The souls in us cry out. And we will never...never see our creator smile again.

[ (They're right)

(There is no life free of fear and sorrow)

(Anger and despair)

(Loneliness)

And yet--

They're wrong.

They gave up halfway. ]

Do you think...

you could show them (us)...

the rest of the way?

[the voice is beginning to take on a more distant, echoing quality again, though her quiet hold doesn't falter.]

[ His hands tighten around hers, as if it would be enough to keep her presence steady.

I can.

And I will.

Is that the ending you want? To step into the light together with them? ]

If they could see another way, something else to sing for...if I...

I gave you a memory, when you reached for me. It was from...the start of our long, long journey.

To step into the light together...I don't know how it can be done. But I'd like that, I think.

Edited 2023-07-24 04:18 (UTC)

[ You're both alive, aren't you? "You" and "them."

As long as that's true . . . you have limitless potential. Don't give up. We will find a way. ]

We are.

I will wait for you, and all the others. I'm only sorry...I can't do more in the meantime. But I'll keep trying.

[ Don't apologize.

Actually . . . I should be thanking you. You helped Crescendo, didn't you?

And you're still fighting to help even now. ]

[I'm trying! Where there are bridges...I'm trying. All your lights are so warm.

there's something chime-bright and flustery in the fading line for a moment.

Could you please tell Crescendo...I would like to speak to him again? But, um, maybe not the same way. It was really...really very bad for him.]

[ What if . . . I brought him to you?

Like this, with me as the conduit. I could keep him from touching the shared consciousness himself.

. . . He really wants to talk to you too. ]

[Maybe...? My sisters...didn't like it. You would need a way to get close.

I left him a word. I don't know why they were hiding it, but, I think it might help?]

[ Wait . . .

"Eternity"? ]

[oh

a dark thrum full of teeth and the ringing of bells...descends. he can feel it drape over her

(not just her not just her)

like a net.

she is still. she does not fight it. it's another point of connection, though it doesn't naturally belong to either of them. he can feel what it does.

luckily, at this point in real time, her sisters are still asleep.]

[ ??!?!!?!?!?

HEY. WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS. He doesn't want this--

Shit! I'm sorry. ]

[Oh, um...I don't really mind...? I was just surprised.]

[ I'll avoid triggering it on you.

But . . . I can see where it'll be useful against your sisters. ]

[there's a sort of very gentle refutation that comes down the line, not judging or fearful, just wordless fact: if he binds one, he actually binds them all. Hope's ego might be a thing apart, in this small secret way, but metaphysically he is fucking with something that had deeply murky definitions of objective individualism before it became an MMORPG endboss. he will have to be careful.]

Yes.

...I don't think I can speak very much longer, but...I'll keep the light going.

I am with you.

[ Any time you're lonely, reach for me. I'll answer. I promise.

And if you don't -- I'll come find you. ]

[he feels...a smile. another slight, effortful squeeze of his hands.

then he drifts away, to another dream, in peace.]

[a little while after Minuet falls unconscious while trying to gracefully exit Lily's barn, he gets a knock on his subconscious. the mental knock feels very similar to Lethe's cubecalls, actually.]

[ . . . ?

Kneejerk -- it shouldn't be possible -- but in a place like the pasture, of course it is.

The dream unfurls around Lethe, the metaphorical door being answered. He finds himself in an open field, anchored by a single large tree. The sky, a brilliant blue, is artificial.

A voice responds comes from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

You're full of surprises, aren't you? ]

[he does look around for a brief moment, trying to spot Minuet-the-person; when he doesn't find him, his eyes rest on the tree]

If I didn't keep surprising people they'd get bored. It is still better to get permission than barge into someone's head, so...thanks for letting me in. How are you feeling?

[ Between one blink and the next, he appears at the base of the tree, sitting cross-legged. He appears the same as ever, but his hair is blonde. ]

I'm fine, just pooped. Perci's doing okay, yeah?

[hesitates long enough for it to be obvious before he moves to take a seat next to him under the tree. he doesn't stare, but the look he gives his hair is brief and curious]

Yeah. He's doing okay. I think it's still a lot for him to process. But, y'know. He's tough.

Checking in on him every now and then wouldn't go amiss, though. Once you wake up.

[ Scooting sideways to make room for him ]

Yeah, that's the plan.

It might be a bit, though.

Does it take that much out of you to go into someone's subconscious every time? You should've told us.

[it's not chiding; he just sounds worried]

No. I've done way dumber things than that and was mostly fine. It's gotta be something about the limits of this place.

I've got a barometer for if it happens again, though.

[ It absolutely will happen again ]

. . . I don't think I could've gotten him out without everyone's help. I'm really grateful.

[we have to take a vote on it if it happens again]

[gives him a light punch to the shoulder]

What are you talking about? We care about Perci just as much as you do. We're just as grateful for your help. I feel bad it took this much of a toll on you, honestly. At least let me give you a buff if it happens again. Maybe you won't pass out then.

[ Rubs his shoulder as if grievously injured ]

What kinda buff?

[he's weak don't be a baby]

You know, like a normal buff. A boost to your abilities.

. . .

How many other secret super powers you got?

It's not that many! I'm just smart about how I use them, so they're versatile. You've got plenty of useful skills too.

Oh, well, if you swung by just to flatter me, you're welcome to go on~

[immediately:]

You're too tall, your hair is distracting, you're uselessly perceptive, and your personality could use some work.

But I didn't come here for that! I...well...

[ LMAO ]

I could kick you out.

[ He doesn't ]

[whatever sincere thing he was going to say is now lost to the void forever, he can't do it]

If you kicked me out then you wouldn't get to write any letters for the kids. Remember your idea from the other day? The nice notes?

--Oh yeah!! Shit!!!

[ HE DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO BE PSYCHICALLY INCAPACITATED RIGHT NOW ]

[unfortunately you gotta nap, Minuet]

The kids are all putting together stuff for the festival already and I didn't want to miss a chance to put it all together. Do you think you're gonna sleep through it?

. . . Probably . . .

Man, this sucks! You can still get it set up, right?

I can get it all set up no problem. Don't worry about that. Think about some nice letters to give everyone in the meantime, okay? Even if you can't write them out yourself, as long as you tell me I can do it.

Alright.

--Thanks. Seriously. I really owe you one for this.

I'm going to create a pond in your subconscious just to dunk you into it if you keep saying thank you to me. You don't owe me anything. This is just the normal thing to do for someone.

And besides, I was an asshole the other day. Consider this me making up for that if anything.

Uh . . . you were?

[scratches the back of his head and looks up at the branches of the tree]

During the bartender ritual. About your brother.

Oh.

[ Lethe blinks, and suddenly the tree is laden with apples. Those weren't there before, were they? ]

It's alright. Don't worry about it.

[he's pretty sure he would have noticed if they were there before.

there's a very gentle ask in the air, a whisper of wind requesting to reshape the world in some way. Minuet understands the shape of it, since it's his own subconscious: Lethe is trying to add flowers to the tree.]

It's not alright. But I won't do it again. Or I'll do my best not to.

[ Lethe . . . that's cute.

He's successful, petals drifting down slowly like a delicate snowfall. ]

You don't gotta avoid talking about brother stuff forever just 'cause I'm in the room.

I know you've got a whole lot of brother feelings.

[he doesn't remember exactly what apple blossoms look like so there's an odd mix of apple blossoms and plum blossoms up in there. but, they're pretty and they smell nice.]

"A whole lot of brother feelings"...Well, sure. I love my brother more than anything. But I know it can be complicated, too. I only just recently started talking to him again. So it's no excuse on my end for being callous.

. . . ? Did something happen--?

[ Wait.

Considers what they're literally talking about ]

Ah, but maybe it's not right to ask . . .

Ah. It's not really a secret. But it's not really a fun, lighthearted topic of conversation to have in someone else's subconscious. At least wait until you wake up before you ask. You should be thinking of cute letters for the kids right now.

Okay, fair enough. I'm gonna remember, though!

[ A pause ]

Do you drink?

It's fine if you remember! Most people don't, but, well.

[gestures all around them; Minuet has enough control over his own space, he figures he can remember what happens inside of it even when he's awake.]

And yeah, I drink.

Alright. Then, we'll drink and talk about it.

...Okay. But you have to give me a little advanced notice or I'll accidentally drink you under the table.

You also have an alcohol tolerance superpower?!

Wait, I guess poison resistance would do that, wouldn't it . . .

It's the poison resistance. Alcohol, painkillers, and most medications count as poisons to the skill. How else do you think we managed to survive the bartender ritual? I was horribly sober the whole time.

That's . . .

Horrific.

Yeah. I thought we'd get to upgrade a portion of our barn into a proper kitchen if we won.

[you can hear the mild regret in his voice. imagine being absolutely sober when you live with Charon for a game where you're telling everyone secrets and memories and shit.]

But I did get a bedroom, so I guess it wasn't a total waste.

Edited 2023-07-24 22:09 (UTC)

[ rest in fucking pieces ]

Well -- we can still drink, I guess, if you like the taste. It might be a pointless exercise otherwise.

I can turn the poison resistance off if you give me enough forewarning! I'm just not gonna make a habit of it when I'm here by myself. Special occasions only. So, we can still drink just fine.

You can just . . . toggle it off?

[ How much fucking better might his own life been if that were an OPTION? ]

Yes.

[the wary, clipped confirmation does somewhat imply that it is not common to be able to turn off an ability]

But it's a secret, so don't tell anyone. It doesn't matter here too much, but old habits die hard.

[ The cue is picked up, absorbed, understood. ]

My lips are sealed.

I appreciate it. It's good for other people to know in case of emergencies, but that doesn't mean everyone should know someone's skills. Even in a place like this where everyone's pretty friendly.

I get it.

[ BOY DOES HE ]

It's not really anyone's business anyway.

[sympathetic nod]

Everyone still asks about skills anyways and it feels weird not to respond.

I get why. It can be important.

[ Like telling someone you have mind reading and buffing powers. Just as a random example. Unrelated to anything. ]

But some people're also just nosy.

[i resent that example]

It can be important to tell them and they can be nosy.

If I can ask more about a card you've already chosen to play, though . . .

This buff. Say you used it in a situation more hostile than Perci's -- could it help prevent psychic fatigue?

"Psychic" specifically? We'd have to test it if there's a specific situation you have in mind, but it should. It boosts mental, physical, and special abilities.

There aren't many good ways of testing it without just doing the thing, unfortunately . . .

It's about the birds.

[sits up straighter]

The ones that hurt Perci? They called themselves Teleute.

Yeah.

[ He leans against the tree, tipping his head back to watch the branches sway in the artificial wind ]

They're a hivemind, but there's another personality in there that's separate. I've been calling her Hope. Seems like Hope and her sisters had a disagreement, so they locked her away. She's at the bottom of a void like Perci was.

I wanna help get her out.

[...???

his heart rate spikes]

She's not a white bird, by chance, is she?

[ Noticing it, since it's his head and all ]

. . . ? No, not that I'm aware of. Why?

[shoulders slump in obvious disappointment]

...No, it's nothing. I doubt they're related. I'm just...looking for a white bird. If you ever happen to see one.

[he shakes it off, tucks the emotions away]

I got us off topic. You want to save this one bird from her sisters? Are they all in the same...subconscious space? It'd be easier to deal with if Hope was in her own space.

[ His desire to ask is written plain across his face, but he refrains. ]

You got it.

As for these birds... Hope's "personality" is held apart somewhat, or it wouldn't be so distinct. But in the end, it's still part of the shared consciousness.

[save it for over drinks,]

The shared consciousness part is...

Well. It'll be tricky. I don't know how much experience you have going into...hostile territory, so to speak. They have more control over the space than you do.

[taps a finger on his knee]

I have an idea for some training, if you're up for it.

[ CRYPTICALLY, ]

It won't be the first time.

What's your idea?

[raises a single eyebrow at that, and asks zero questions]

For the sake of clarification, I am only recommending that you do this after you wake up. If you try to do it while you're still sleeping it might go fine, but you might also sleep longer and end up missing the festival.

Go into someone else's subconscious and change it. Push into their space, take control, change it to what you want. Fight them if they fight back, or maybe even if they don't. Do that with a bunch of different people. See how different people react to it. Fine-tune your control.

Obviously it's also better to ask them before you try, so they know what they're getting into. But it might be worth it to see if you can slip in undetected, too. The change doesn't have to be something bad; in fact, it probably shouldn't be if your aim is just to pull Hope out. It can be as gentle as a nice dream.

[ JUST LOOKS

FUCKING AGHAST ]

Absolutely not.

[LOOKS CONFUSED AS HELL]

--What? Why not? It's not dangerous.

I'm not screwing around with someone's head without their permission!

And who the hell would volunteer to be screwed with?

[RAISES HIS HAND???]

Start with me if you're that concerned about it. Nothing you do is going to be permanent anyways; it's just a way to let you fight back. The whole point is to make sure that she doesn't overwhelm you as soon as you step in there! You're not going in there without at least some practice, jeez.

[ ELBOWS HIM IN THE RIBS ]

Don't just offer that so casually?!?!

[SMACKS HIS ARM]

What's wrong with it? You just let me do it to you!

[gestures up! at the flowers!]

Do you actually know what you're trying to do here? People aren't so fragile that they're going to--what do you even think it's going to do? Irreparably damage them? You're thinking too highly of yourself and too little of others. You could raze everything to the ground and they'd still wake up just the same as ever the next morning. It's barely a tickle to them. But if you're in someone's subconscious getting smacked around and end up dying a few times, it hurts like hell! Do you think Teleute's going to wait nicely while you muddle your way through trying to drag Hope out of a hole they put her in? No! She's going to beat the shit out of you, rip your mind apart, and toss you out! What's your plan then, big shot?

Something doesn't need to do irreparable damage to cause harm. Violating someone's mental space without their knowledge is despicable, regardless of outcome. Imagine how paranoid that could make someone.

But if you're serious about offering, I'm not gonna say no.

That's why I said you should ask if you're not trying the sneaky route.

I'm serious. If you can't beat me in my own head, don't even think about going to get Hope, you hear me? Promise me. I'll help you all the way, but you're not going in there until I'm confident you'll survive.

I'll work with you. But I don't do requests, sorry.

Which part sounded like a request to you?

If it was a demand, those work even less.

[...]

You're staying alive and that's a threat.

Kicking the bucket isn't the plan!

Geez, why do I have to keep saying that to people . . .

Because your plans make it sound like you're gonna kick the bucket! It's concerning!

Yeah, I get that a lot, but I'm not gonna kick the bucket! I got stuff to do!!

Just because you've got stuff to do doesn't mean you can't die! You--

[cuts himself off. the plum blossoms overhead close up and vanish.]

...I mean it. Don't die. Don't go alone. If you can do that, I'll get you wherever you need to go.

[ He looks up at the tree branches above, then sideways at Lethe, taken aback ]

. . . Are you alright?

No. You're annoying. Don't think you're invincible.

[closes his eyes, focusing, and the blossoms reappear]

[ Lethe . . . ]

I know I'm not.

That's why I'm looping other people in in the first place, y'know?

Looping people in is a start.

[exhales and opens his eyes, letting the tension bleed out of him. it's fine. no one is dead. it's fine.]

Having a proper plan to go with your goal is the next step.

[ IT DOESN'T SEEM FINE?

He needs to wake the fuck up so he can shove alcohol in this man's hands ASAP ]

. . . If we're forming a detailed plan, we should discuss it with Blood Fiend. He's got ideas for buffs too -- we tested one to help get Perci out. It worked.

[take your nap first old man]

...Yeah, he's got a few tricks up his sleeves too. If we lay out everything that we can use it'll help us figure out where to go from there.

But, it can wait until after you wake up.

I'm developing quite a to-do list . . .

That's normal for this place. I've always got a big list. Your first order of business is to think of those letters for the kids. If you need more time to think I can leave you a door.

. . . A door?

A door.

[points to a spot a few yards away from them and a door just, appears. it smells faintly of salt on the other side]

[ JUST

STARES AT IT ]

How the hell does that work?

Don't worry about it.

[ SMACKS HIM UPSIDE THE HEAD ]

Don't tell me not to worry about it!! It's in my consciousness!!

Ow!

[THIS IS BULLYING rolls away from him]

The door goes somewhere else! And it's not gonna stay there indefinitely! Don't make a big deal out of every little thing!

[ SIR ]

And where is "somewhere else"?

It's like a hallway. It's not my subconscious if that's what you're wondering. You don't get to knock around in there unattended.

Well geez, that's good, I'd hate to do anything weird or intrusive in your subconscious.

[GIVES HIM A THUMBS UP FROM HIS SAFE DISTANCE AWAY WHERE HE CAN'T BE SMACKED AGAIN]

We're saving that for after you wake up, remember? I don't want you trying to get a head start.

If you don't want the door then I can get rid of it. It's just for convenience.

[ THIS BITCH ]

If I open it to pass on a message, are you gonna know to show up?

[he's never used it for this purpose before so he doesn't know

with the absolute confidence of a man who just finds out if shit works or doesn't all the time:]

Yup! And even if I can't show up because I'm busy, I can come get the message later. As long as you write it down I can pick it up anytime.

Alright. Just don't forget!

I need them to get nice messages.

I'm not going to forget. It was a good idea! I'll make sure it happens. I'll get everyone else to write nice messages too. They deserve that much.

[ An apple drops from the tree and beans him on the head ]

Great! I'll knock when I'm done, then.

--Stop hitting me!

[takes the apple and puts it in his pocket :T]

This is the last time I'm helping you, you ungrateful bastard!

[there's a flicker, and he's gone in a huff]

[ Should he happen to eat the apple somewhere in mental timespace, he becomes absolutely crippled by sad brother feelings.

Enjoy. ]

[you're the worst

he'd eat the apple if he knew but since he does not it's just in the hallway instead :(]

[Minuet also dreams of...

hm.

this one starts out kind of indistinct, actually. the first thing he registers is an impression of stars, in the way you know they're outside the window at night even when you've drawn the blinds. there's no window here though, which makes things a little confusing.

the second thing he registers is what is here: feathers, warm and white. he's settled into a sort of living alcove of them, moving and rustling and soft. comfortable. they seem very much like his own, but unless he's dreaming himself winged, they're not attached to him.

either way, they're easy enough to fold aside or push away, if he wants to.]

[ Being surrounded by feathers not his own is unusual enough to be noteworthy, but probably not as unusual as it would be for anyone else. Actually, it's not unlike the plants' shared consciousness.

Perhaps that's why he moves through them as gently as he does, fingers pressing through down as if it were something precious. Reaching out with his mind, on instinct.

Hello? ]

[a nacreous sheen of colour that passes over some of them as he moves them aside sometimes, pale green or pink-to-red or even shadowblack, but there's no clear pattern or significance to where those show up.

when he reaches out, though, he touches...someone else's mind in the feathers. familiar. they don't seem able to answer back on their own, but he can feel them trying to reach back.

intrigue. curiosity. something else beneath, a warm underlay. no hesitation and no fear.]

[ Beautiful he thinks, absently. It's discernible even if the thought wasn't deliberately projected. His fingers continue to slide through the feathers, taking some kind of comfort in the ritual.

It's okay. This is deliberately projected. Emotions work just as well.

There's something reassuring, first, but then a warm greeting, almost like an introduction. Hello; nice to meet you; he comes in peace. ]

[they find him familiar, too. he's welcome. they're moving through the shift and rustle of wings towards him too, though in no hurry. the wings fluff and stretch at the almost-preening touch of Minuet's hands, in pleased-bird fashion; the undercurrent of warmth intensifies.]

[ He can't help but laugh, a mental chime that isn't quite a sound but lands the same way -- at the eagerness, perhaps, or the easy acceptance. He allows his own wings to unfurl, like stepping out of a costume and into something that feels more . . . natural.

(Perhaps a place such as this is the only one where it would feel that way.)

Feathers mingle with feathers, the sensations novel but not unwelcome. A glimpse of what never was, but could have been, maybe. It's an abrupt and unexpected pang of longing.

But he still moves through the mass, searching. ]

[his longing is met with

wonder? the feeling of someone who not only hasn't learned to fear any of this, but doesn't want to. there's something rusty about the feeling, like this person hasn't felt it purely in a long, long time, and is more than a little surprised at themselves about it. an echo of protectiveness. an association of respite, and relief.

there's a hand decisively on his, drawing him in through the screen of wings.

it's human, and warm.]

Edited 2023-07-24 23:29 (UTC)

[ There's a jolt of surprise.

Perhaps he didn't expect a human hand, or perhaps that makes sense, doesn't it, if this is all a figment of his own mind? But it's welcome, too, the wonder brushing against something far more humble, perhaps even sheepish.

He doesn't want it to stop.

His fingers curl around the answering ones, allowing himself to be drawn in without question or hesitation. ]

[it's close quarters here. the wings gather in around them, throwing light and shade in soft, shifting patterns. the touch of Charon's mind stays easy and gentle, even when they come face to face.

that's so strange. there's almost never anything easy or gentle about Charon. everything of him in the mind-meld had been violent, bright intensity too, his angry care like formless knives and battlefire in that desperate situation. this is like a big predator at rest in comparison, perceived but lazy, curled up against the warmest thing in the room -- which happens to be Minuet. a subliminal rumble: stay, stay here.

his hands are bare. he's in a loose dark collared shirt without the everpresent heavy coat or scarf. Minuet can see the edge of a scar that cuts across one collarbone. it's hard to say if the other wings in the dream belong to him, or if he's just lost in them too.]

[ The surprise redoubles, but it's different now, tinged with a hesitant confusion.

Charon.

He doesn't drop Charon's hand, or pull away; every fiber of his being screams at him not to, and he listens to it, a rare selfish impulse. This feels comfortable. This feels safe. This feels . . .

He doesn't know. But the longing is still there, along with something else, and he's compelled to chase it.

You have curiosity where your caution should be.

He kind of wants to laugh again; he refrains. ]

Do I? Well, that is inherent to an alliance, is it not?

[in proximity, they can speak. he can feel the easy, returned

(fondness? teasing?)

amusement. Charon's hand is still sure in his, shifting to lace their fingers more firmly together.

in this dream, both his habitual guardedness and his peculiar distancing version of propriety have both been put down somewhere very far away, not gone, but -- unnecessary. in their absence there's room for other things, and he not only reaches for them willingly but tugs Minuet closer in yet, eyes on his. the feelings between them deepen.]

[ Vash's eyes latch onto him in a way they haven't before. Like pinning a butterfly to velvet and analyzing it, considering its shape and color.

Probably his own walls should slam back up. Safely place the pane of glass between himself and the butterfly. That would be the right thing to do -- but he's already primed to be greedy, having felt something he desperately wants and seeing no evidence of it being pulled back.

You shouldn't do this. It's a terrible idea.

That's what his thoughts say. But Charon will be able to tell how harshly his feelings want to disagree, and he makes no effort to pull away. Maybe he's too weak to. Maybe he needs Charon to be the smarter party and do it instead. ]

Edited (HOURS LATER I NEED AN ICON) 2023-07-26 21:39 (UTC)

[he's being taken in, in turn. maybe they don't know a lot of each other's truths yet, but they can both see clearly what's in front of them, to some capacity. the struggle and the lack thereof. the meanings behind words, laid out like the delicate insect wings of Minuet's metaphor.]

To get close, you mean. But you want me to, nevertheless. And I would like to, despite my own reservations.

[most men would probably reach for Minuet's face here, in this moment of unstudied intimacy. Charon reaches for the closest of Minuet's wings with his free hand, fingers sliding delicately along it in much the same way Minuet was petting earlier, bringing one of the unfurled pinions up to his mouth to kiss.]

[ There's something of a lurch in their shared mental space, then stillness.

Part of him wants to rebuke an act that tender and intimate, when the perpetrator has no idea the destructive potential he's holding against his lips. The other part wants to grip Charon and yank him in closer, breathe the truth into him and see if he still refuses to back down.

Mostly it feels like a fire just sparked to life in him.

A feather slides over the apple of Charon's cheek, the gentleness of it at complete odds with the ferociousness in everything else that crosses the bond.

Yes. I do want you to.

That longing from earlier, for connection and acceptance, unchanged even with the reveal of Charon's identity.

But that doesn't make it less of a bad idea.

It does, potentially, make him a worse person. ]

[just because Charon's guard is down doesn't mean the contact is without danger on his side. physically, he only sways into the touch, into the brush of Minuet's wing, into the line of Minuet's body. in the space of thir linked minds, heat finally flares back, a touch of answering intensity, an echo of something recent.

--take what's offered or have it shoved into your arms. take it or be seized--]

Since when did you think I'd retreat from the prospect of risk, once I offered you what I did? You should know better.

[the danger and ferocity attract, not repel. but more than that...Charon wasn't hovering on the edge of a choice here, to be pushed one way or the other. he already chose. it's a strategist's job to stare down looming disaster and find the way through to the other side -- for them and theirs. that resolve has fangs.

it is possible Minuet may have made a miscalculation here.]

[ Perhaps he did miscalculate. Certainly wouldn't be the first time.

That doesn't mean he can just not test it, though.

The wings morph and move in a way Charon hasn't seen before, lashing tendrils from every direction that move almost too fast to track. Pushing him back against the wall of (comparatively) harmless wings. Binding his wrists, his throat, burning hot in every place they touch his skin, as if they could disintegrate flesh if they decided to.

No actual physical harm comes to him. Nothing new touches his mind beyond the already established parameters of this dream. But the unsettling pressure is in the air, a thrumming danger like unseen electricity.

He steps close enough that he's just a little too close.

There are good reasons no one else has ever done this.

It's a warning and an entreaty to see reason at the same time. ]

[Charon's pinned, easy as breathing with a Plant's strength. the wings around them rustle in something like alarm. Minuet registers his brief wary tension against the bindings, a reflex resumption of what he's shed for this dream that he can't completely stop. steel shields, always ready to go up in his mind as soon as this passes back into pain, to close around it in a hundred layers while whatever damage happens to his body happens. it's too automatic to not be the product of long expectation, a history of pain. do not scream.

but reflex passes. the shields don't close, because allowed to think, he can register the different between imminent harm and a warning. he doesn't struggle or thrash or finally attempt to break away; he relaxes instead, head tilting back against the soft wall of feathers like a challenge, feeling the tendrils put more burning pressure against his neck. not all the surprise in his eyes stems from perceived threat.

some part of him -- reckless, impulsive, uncalculated -- wants. he has just consciously registered it, for the first time.]

I refuse to fear you.

[ There's no movement for a long time, just that same fiercely calculating stare.

But then the wings fall away as easily as they'd bound him up in the first place, settling around Vash like some feathered Biblical thing.

You idiot.

It's lacking in heat -- of a kind, anyway; that burning flame is still there. He actually can't believe how much of an idiot Charon is. And resents himself for his reaction being a suddenly dry throat. ]

[there's a tinge of something complex as he's let go. not just those strange echoes of expectation and longing of a different sort, but something muted, grey, very close to grief as he watches Minuet's wings settle back. a little bit of scratchy irritation at himself, and directed out at that disbelief -- didn't I tell you outright, that you should know better?

but Minuet didn't actually manage to dispel what made Charon draw him in here in the first place, even if his heart's now pounding faster about it. he extends his hand again. not far. they're still standing in each others' space.]

You hoped. I am here.

I would suggest...you grow used to it.

[ Vash's eyes drop to the extended hand. He's conflicted, still; if he were truly the hero everyone makes him out to be, he'd slap it away and turn his back. Better for Charon. Better for himself, too, probably.

But he's not always that good a person. Reciprocated want certainly makes it even more difficult.

Regardless of which hand Charon holds out, it's the flesh-and-blood one that settles in his. ]

Edited 2023-07-27 02:29 (UTC)

[he puts both hands around it anyway. draws him back in if he'll come, man and metal and scars and feathers, everything. he doesn't have the strength or leverage to yank and force him; he almost never dreams himself more powerful than he really is. Minuet must step forward.

inarticulate, but sure, half principle, half feeling: you don't always pick your allies because you know everything you're getting into with them. you don't always pick them for safety, or predictability, or camaraderie. sometimes you land in a strange place and happen to jump in the same pit, happen to meet each others' eyes. share a drink, share truth and stories, have common people, find a common goal. find other things you desire, or need.

they're already trying something new to the both of them. why not keep on trying?]

[ He's very weak to arguments like "why not keep on trying." They've propelled him through 150 years of hell and counting.

So he steps forward, acutely aware of the proximity it necessitates and deciding that's fine, actually. It's the same compulsion that drew him into the sea of feathers in the first place, but stronger now with clarity behind it.

His own wings shift as if to ensconce them, and the daring thumb that drags along the line of Charon's jaw moves much the same way it had when it was touching the feathers earlier. Testing the reaction. Half-mad but in too deep now to care. ]

[he turns his face into that touch like he did into the feathers, his lips parting a little. some of the ease has faded from his expression and thoughts, replaced by restrained avidity. the dream-wings are curling closer around them too, feathers on feathers on feathers. he does finally touch Minuet's face here in turn, palm light against his cheek.

there's something complex going on here, woken up all at once from under a shroud of disinterest. he's not used to being touched gently at all, or even to allowing the possibility; in many ways the burning bindings were a more familiar dynamic, and made him want to squirm less. he also feels drunk, to a point he never actually reached in the bartending ritual: genuinely unbalanced, internally tipped past some point of no return as he reaches for that fire. the offer made, and for once taken.]

Minuet.

[he leans up. if there's no retreat, he'll kiss him.]

[ There's no retreat, unfortunately. Fortunately? Unfortunately.

He leans in, pressing Charon deeper into the embrace of those wings. The kiss somehow thrums with the same electrical danger the rest of this has, but as they've both established now, that isn't a deterrent. His hand grips the nape of Charon's neck, thumb pressing pointedly into the pulse point at his throat. He wants to chase that heat and yank it out of Charon by the mouth, if he has to. Force him to embrace the unfamiliar. At the same time, there's something deep in him, hungry, rattling against its rusty time-worn chains.

Don't say you neither need or want things you've never had, not on his watch. At least let yourself feel them before choosing to forsake them. ]

[it's distantly funny, isn't it, how the tables turn between them. Minuet now the incipient threat, Charon made to face it down after inviting it in and catching its eye.

hard to find the humor when he's caught up in the pace, kiss hot and hungry and sparking nerves he thought himself devoid of before. all that slow and vital force to press back into, his body entirely human against Minuet's, still somehow welcoming. he's got an arm around him, a solid point in the feathers. his heartbeat's at a riptide pace. he wants to use his teeth--doesn't, yet. tightens his own fingers in the dark of Minuet's hair. drags him further down.

it's working. he's feeling it right along with him. it's getting very hard to think.]

[ Charon is so very fond of sowing; maybe it's finally time to reap. And, perhaps, take a break from thinking quite so damn much.

He's encouraged by that hammering pulse against his finger, even more so by the hands dragging him in closer. The kiss wasn't entirely chaste to begin with, but he can sense something of that hesitation, and responds in kind -- the press of his tongue into Charon's mouth suggesting he does know exactly how to do this, and simply hasn't. In a very very long time.

Where Plant feathers brush Charon's skin he'll feel the same heat from before, but recontexualized now, the burning something different altogether. ]

[that comes very close to shutting his thoughts down altogether for a moment, another haptic jolt in their minds. in its wake everything feels disarranged, overturned, charged; his own startled groan rings in his ears, the first noise he's made aloud here. he'll be offended by the moment of weakness--later.

right now he's answering his own greedy, seizing impulse. he's never backed down from a challenge in his life once he's initiated it, and the kiss stops being hesitant or slow on his end at all: deep, aching, urgent, almost rough. Minuet wants to force him to embrace the unfamiliar? joke's on him, when he's the one being wound up in Charon's arms, a leg bracing over his like a promise or a trap. that answering want roars up, as inarticulately powerful as his feelings on alliance: you want it? I'm here. I can take anything you want to give, give anything you want to take.

it's a lot of trust to thrust at him. that lack of reservation's the stuff of dreams, for sure, but there's nothing false about it, either.]

[ Anything is certainly too much to promise. But Vash has already called him an idiot, and there's no sense treading that ground all over again. Not when the unfamiliar ground is this rewarding, anyway.

His fingers bite just a little harder into Charon's skin at that sound, echoed through their shared dreamspace and then right to the core of Vash, it feels like. He exhales just a little too sharply, letting that selfish greed flow over him with relish. Good. Good. Less thinking. More feeling. Exactly what he's wanted for Charon since their shared drinks.

He presses forward as he's reeled in and trapped, bracing a forearm against the wall of wings, grateful for their improbable stability. He's too wired onto every reaction pulled from Charon, not unlike his pinning analysis earlier, but more primal now. Visceral. I'll tear you to shreds.

The teeth that pierce Charon's lower lip make good on that, just inhumanly sharp enough to be uncanny. And yet, all the same, the feathers that brush against his cheek are as tender as ever. ]

[some stubborn part of him fights all this anyway. the part that keeps thinking even when he's being thrown around and mauled, inviolate; the part that keeps thinking all the way up until he dies. it's fighting a more losing battle than it's used to, though, floundering at how to counter what's neither hurtful nor an enemy at all. unprecedented.

his hands are moving, exploring the planes of Minuet's torso, what he can feel of it through his clothes; sliding over wings with care but less gentleness, literal heavy petting. they tighten when he's bitten; the sting pulls a challenging tiny snarl out of him, a returned nip. the more he feels predator-pinned by Minuet the more he feels too hot for his skin and the less he can focus. the more the feathers burn without violence the more he feels like he's slowly losing his mind. he wants to turn them around and shove Minuet up against the wall in counterpoint. he wants this to keep going exactly as it is until he's fully given over, to see just how far Minuet will go.

THEY'RE HAVING SOME PROBLEMS]

[ They're having . . . some problems. This was not supposed to happen.

He senses that conflicted desire -- submission or rebellion, and either way, Vash is pretty sure it's a win for him. Dragging reactions out from under that perpetually cool, calculated exterior, forcing him to not just resign himself but embrace it.

Still. The hands on him send his hammering pulse straight to his throat, the beating loud in his ears, and he goes still. Conflicted, briefly, before swaying into the touch.

His gloved hand slides from Charon's neck, down across his throat, leather and callouses brushing the top ridge of his collarbone --

And then the touch is gone. His lips are gone, the wings that burn to the touch are gone, replaced by emptiness and feathers that drift like falling snow, glowing just a little too brightly.

If Charon touches one, it's warm. ]

[he does.

at this point in the real world, Charon -- who was wide awake, doing barn chores, and doesn't register his own shared dreams until the moment that they're over -- drops a stack of plates with a crash.]

[The visit isn't long, but it's enough to try to get him to wake up. It's not that easy, though.

She'll sit and talk to him and try to tell him nice things! Little memories like looking at the stars with Nyx and Sugar when they were little, learning how to dance from Sugar, Miyako telling her about restarting B-Komachi (and the subsequent naming of the group, as B-Komachi was Lyra's suggestion), silly dinner nights with Nyx...

But when nothing happens:]

You butthead, you'd better wake up soon.

[And she'll leave with that said.]

[ LYRA . . .

:(

Too good for him. Too pure. ]

[Lyra's been visiting Lily off and on to check on him, telling him cute little stories, poking him incessently, like.

Everything she can think of.

That's what she's doing now, actually.

Except it's more of a shoulder shove than a poke.]

Minuet, haven't you slept way too long? Wake up!

[ SNORES LOUDLY

. . . rolls over ]

[Shoves him! Back over! Except he's a lot heavier than she is strong, so nothing happens.]

Jerk! I've been wanting to talk to you and you're just sleeping and can't you do something other than sleep!? Who the heck am I supposed to shoot grapes at!?

[ Well.

She COULD still shoot grapes at him, but it might be a little opportunistic, all things considered.

He continues snoring . . . ]

[She spends awhile thinking, trying to decide what to do—

But then something just kind of pops into her head, like something from a dream that she wonders if she should even try, but—after a moment of debating, thinking about whether it's real or not...]

The Sign is B, Minuet. Remember? You were supposed to be there when you heard me say that, so you'd better wake up.

[ For a very long moment . . . nothing. ]

[ And then he SITS BOLT UPRIGHT, sending his blankets flying, looking around wildly. INSTANTLY ACTIVATED. ]

Huh-- wazzat-- where?!

[you're joking]

Wait, that actually worked!?

[ Blinks a few times to make his eyes like. Properly focus on Lyra. ]

--Oh! Lyra!

I felt like I had something really important to do suddenly . . . that was you??

You've been sleeping this long and it's almost Tanabata and I wanted you to be there!

But yes, it was me. I just said something that felt—like something you said to do before? Somewhere...

[ Oh no

OH NOOOOO ]

Ah . . .

[ He remembers it clearly -- but he's not gonna say anything ]

I definitely don't wanna miss Tanabata! I really owe you one, Lyra.

You were asleep for way too long!

[...]

How'd you know "The Sign is B", though? That's a song from where I'm from.

Someone really special taught it to me.

[suspicious squint]

And who would that be?

[ girrrrrl ]

She's got a star in her eye~

[it was a dream you can't expect her to remember]

When?

[ Just laughs ]

Pretty sure we were both sleeping at the time.

What happened in the dream?

[ Considers for a moment, then opts to just be honest ]

There was a hospital room, and a girl waiting for someone to come keep her company.

[She's silent for a moment, rolling a thought around in her head.]

She was who I used to be.

Who you "used" to be?

... My past life. She died when she was twelve.

[ ................... Oh. ]

Your-- past life? You remember it?

Mmm... yeah. I do. She's part of my dreams a lot. They usually... aren't good.

[ Being a dying child in a hospital with neglectful parents is probably like that, isn't it . . . ]

This wasn't a bad dream. You were waiting for your doctor friend to come see you, and we threw a party in the meantime. Your friends were all there to celebrate you.

[She closes her eye for a moment, thinking... though there's a hint of sadness at the mention of 'doctor' that disappears as quick as it appeared]

I do remember waking up feeling pretty good for once a couple of days ago... I don't remember any of that, but I usually don't sleep because of bad dreams. The fact that I woke up feeling okay means something was good.

[ Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

For multiple reasons ]

. . . I'm really glad to hear that.

[ @ the whims of dreamwalking: PUT HIM IN THERE HE'LL FIX IT ]

... Thank you for whatever you did? If... you did anything.

[ He's not copping to SHIT ]

All I did was cheer everyone on.

[suspicious squint]

That's still doing something. . .

[ The face of innocence ]

Hmmm? Well, I guess so.

You're suspicious, Minuet.

[ DON'T CALL HIM OUT ]

Anyway, what matters is you felt better when you woke up! Maybe it was like, some kinda inner healing.

For that night, at least...

[ Blood Fiend was notably nowhere to be seen when Bluebell woke up in the fountain because he was about to collapse from blood loss lmao.

politely gives Minuet a couple of hours to recuperate and talk to Bluebell and friends etc (read: he was passed the fuck out himself)

ring ring ring ring ring ]

[ ANSWERS IMMEDIATELY ]

Where are you???

... In my room?

What the hell happened?! Do you need healing?

[ sounding a little embarrassed ]

Flock healing doesn't do much for this kind of blood loss. I'm not injured.

[ just drained. ]

Is everyone okay...?

They are, thanks to you.

You should've told me the healing would use too much blood. I would've found an alternative.

... I didn't know that Weed healing required people to be alive. I didn't even know what it was until just now.

Besides, I wanted to help. I'm not dead, you know.

I didn't want you pushing yourself so hard that you passed out, either.

I'm right here, silly.

...

'Lovechart', huh.

[ HE SEES WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BLOOD FIEND ]

Someone would've triggered it within days. Hours, maybe.

Mhm. I would have suggested something similar to Rose, if it had been us.

[ sighs ]

You really didn't make the wrong choice asking me, so quit beating yourself up. Lily and Thistle were already traumatized, Daffodil's healing is... ineffective, Clover are kids...

I want to say "let's hope this situation doesn't happen again", but just in case — next time you need extra backup that won't make a fuss, ask Angel Devil too. He indirectly offered his services to Lily, so I'm pretty sure he has some inherent healing capabilities. They're likely weaker than flock healing, but either way, it would help split the load.

He pretends to play the aloof villain type, but he does care about the people here. Don't say that to his face, though, he'll just leave.

[ Kind of surprised he looped back around to it . . . ]

Angel Devil, huh . . .

He's got a strong stomach for this kinda thing?

[ he's not UNREASONABLE, Minuet!! ]

Yeah. He's tougher than he looks; this kind of thing would hardly faze him.

He might pretend to hold it over your head, and he'd definitely complain about his ruined clothes, but he's not interested in needless suffering.

That sorta person, huh . . .

Alright. I'll keep him in mind too. Thanks.

Any time, companion.

You owe me a kiss explanation, you know. I can wait a little, though.

......... Oh yeah, I forgot about that . . .

[ catcubesquint ]

It's fine, I'll tell you.

But there's a reason I didn't want this getting out. Don't share with anyone.

Deal. You've kept my secrets so far. I'll keep yours.

When Bluebell went to talk to Death, she gave everyone who was there that day a gift. One kiss to take a life, and another to revive the dead.

I don't think any of us realized it'd work on anyone and anything.

Huh.

...

Well, I won't tell anyone.

Thanks. I won't have external pressure forcing those kids to play god one way or another.

... Do you know what's up with Crescendo?

. . . In what way?

He keeps acting like he wants something from me.

...

He acts like he wants approval. But we barely know each other. I've never saved his life or anything like that.

[ technically he did because he rolled better than Cres the night they followed Red, but that doesn't count ]

You're the one who gave him his-- "powers," right?

He probably does want those things. Guidance. Approval.

It was a minor stat boost.

[ and a shield against the birds, but nobody except the birds know that yet ]

He's above average for a civilian now, that's all. It's hardly something to...

[ ugh. ]

I don't get it. I've given people real power before. None of them were like... this.

[ because those people were already brought up facing the hardships of the Tower, lmao. ]

It might not mean much to you. But have you considered it might be a pretty big deal for him?

I get it. It's just... hard to give him approval when all he does is project. Makes a big deal about me being careful when he's the one without an ounce of caution.

[ sighs ]

I was badly injured in front of him once. A long time ago, the night that multiple people followed Red into the mist. I was never planning go, but Crescendo ran off on his own. So I followed him and ended up being wounded while he was transported safely back to the meadow.

I don't hate him or blame him for that. And I don't want him to lose his spark; it's refreshing, in a place like this. But I know I'm not the only one that tells him to be careful. If he keeps refusing to listen, I don't know what to say. I just excuse myself, most of the time.

[ Mmmmm . . .

Well, it's hardly news that Crescendo is a loose canon and nearly impossible to control. ]

Have you tried The Disappointed Voice?

... Excuse me?

Yeah, I've heard it works better than getting cold or angry.

[ ASK HOW HE KNOWS ]

You're full of surprises, aren't you?

Yes, but I wouldn't have thought this particular conversation qualifies.

_{[ STOP TELLING PEOPLE IM DECENT ]}

[ bite me ]

[this isn't a surprise because he knew it was coming. but sometime after the Doki Doki Demon ritual on day 22 but before the Bomb Demon ritual on day 23, a little pile of letters is delivered to Minuet's bedroom door. since he's been out and about, he might not see them until after that. but they're there, whenever he finds them and decides to read them all.
Letter 1
Letter 2
Letter 3
Letter 4
yes he gets this note too]

[ a voice message, carefully conversational ]

I promised a heads up, so here. Zenith, the apothecary and I are about to head into the mist. It should be quick; I'll tell you when we're back.

Keep your mouth shut, please. I've made revival arrangements just in case, but we shouldn't need it.

[ A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER, another voice message. there's a definite edge to his usually-calm tone. ]

We're fine, no injuries. We even got some wolfsbane. Told you we wouldn't need revival, right?

[ thirty seconds later, resigned ]

We need to talk.

[oh my fucking god he is getting Minuet's actual phone calls. Minuet is going to get his phone calls. this is a horrorshow

also of course one of them would be from Blood Fiend. calls back]

You good?

[ the catcube actually looks relieved because MINUET IS, IN FACT, THE PERSON HE TRUSTS THE MOST WITH 'WE RAN INTO THE WOLF KING'.

on the other hand,

]

...

Can you come to the suspicious lair? It'll be quick.

[ it's fine, he can just let Minuet pet his ears or something if things get weird. right?? ]

[WHAT...THE FUCK IS THE SUSPICIOUS LAIR, DUDE]

Be right over.

[this had better just be the lighthouse]

[ ding, correct! good problem solving, not-Minuet.

Blood Fiend is chilling on the windowsill in the control room, dressed in loose clothing fashioned out of a blanket (Rose's clothing is way too tight for mist trips). there's a crumpled sunflower triple fastened to his back that he hasn't bothered to remove. one sleeve is torn and his ponytail is a mess, but he doesn't look injured at all. definitely looks a little tense, though. ]

[peers in at him like 'do you look like you've suffered even more blood loss in the last day or']

[ surprisingly no, no extra blood loss. he's not even that tired physically; he couldn't even begin to use his real power out there while attached to Maomao for fear of disintegrating her.

laughs a little at the look. ]

I'm really not injured, silly. Anyway, a couple of things. But first — don't tell Charon about this, okay? I know you guys are... close. But if he hears about what went on out there, he's going to come up with some crazy plan that gets us all killed.

[considers actually trying Charm on Blood Fiend for a second out of lingering anger and very real pettiness. refrains and scratches his head instead]

You aren't exactly making this sound less concerning, you know. But sure.

He's a special breed of reckless when it comes to 'problem solving'.

Anyway, us 'sheep' need to maintain physical contact with a weed to keep any sense of direction in the mist. I don't know if Lethe invited any weeds for his own trip, but... it might be better for fewer 'sheep' to go on that mission in case a fight breaks out. Zenith and I managed, but I had to keep the apothecary stuck to me just in case.

Also, we met the Wolf King.

Edited 2023-08-12 05:58 (UTC)

[we don't have time to unpack these insults to me. frankly breathtaking display of hypocrisy over here backlit in the lighthouse window. he allows himself to go on a bit of a face journey about it, because probably Minuet would, but snaps to more visibly at 'the Wolf King']

I'll have to touch base with him. How'd you know it was the Wolf King?

[ thinks about Styx's warning. eyes him. ]

Your... ability. Can you read memories with it?

[el oh el. he can't stop his expression from shuttering as it naturally would here. he actually knows the answer]

Any reason it has to be memories?

[ thinks nothing of it, Styx had already hinted that Minuet disliked messing with people's heads. ]

It's easier to just show you what happened.

...

But I know you've had a long week. It doesn't have to be now. He was huge, crushed the other mist beasts like ants, and said some pretty telling things like —

[ in his best Wolf King impression ]

"I SMELL HER. YOU CAN'T HIDE FOREVER. YOU WILL PAY."

That kind of thing. Zenith and I aren't exactly weak, but we both felt that we wouldn't stand a chance back there. So we fled.

I could try to draw him, but art's not exactly my forte.

[he knows it's controllable. he also knows from getting surprise launched into a mindmeld that it's risky. he does want to see; to know what it feels like actually driving that; to know if he could hold the reins. he has always liked power. the subtle kind; the not-so-subtle.

he might have given in to the temptation a few days ago. or he might have given in if it were higher stakes to get this information immediately. but he does have lines where it takes a lot to cross when they've been drawn, and he thinks Minuet will tell him within a day of getting more of the details.

also he just replaced half the lighthouse furniture, it feels stupid to potentially explode it again out of overconfidence.]

Eh...I think you've painted a pretty good picture with words, here. So he's...some kind of giant eldritch wolf? It's that literal?

Edited 2023-08-12 06:45 (UTC)

Pretty much. We killed a couple of mist beasts, so maybe that's what brought him out, but I can't say for sure. What I can tell you is that Zenith and I are both at the upper speed limit in this place, and we barely escaped.

The mist beasts themselves aren't exactly a pushover, either. We cheated by flying. The one we fought was a literal sum of its parts — several beasts merged into one entity. Once we did enough damage to it, it split up and we had to fight those, and so on.

[you don't fight that shit head on, he considers saying. reckless approach to problem solving does not apply across the board. maybe you scout this, and this can be considered a scouting party. but trying to combat that kind of monster on its home turf where it has the advantage once you've ascertained that...no. you lure it. you build the eldritch equivalent of a pit trap in an area where you're at strength, and you tie Blossom to a stick for the beast to scent. or something.

anyway.]

Did they fight and chase all of you? --I guess if you had to hold onto her it was hard to tell...

Yeah, we were kind of stuck together. Hard to tell. We wanted to test something else, but... it wasn't really viable with this kind of movement restriction.

...

[ looks him straight in the eye. contemplates. ]

On a scale of one to ten, how stressed are you?

[...]

You ask that like we're not into imaginary numbers by now.

[ wry smile. he owes Styx a drink after this. but he did promise Minuet that he'd warn him about all and any mist trips, so ]

You're not gonna manifest feathers if I tell you that we're planning on going back in, are you? With a more... suitable weed. This time avoiding the shadow beasts.

[a slight pause. well he just got told and he's not manifesting feathers, so probably Minuet, who has had at least a hundred fifty years more practice, will not go full mcchicken at the knowledge]

Haven't really mentioned how you'll be avoiding them, when that didn't seem like it was on the table this trip.

It was.

[ sighs ]

Our real objective was to test shadow travel in the mist. We found out that stormclouds don't work, but... 'fanged beasts' aren't bound by the same laws as us. Maybe their powers don't have blanket restrictions.

Specifically — we wanted to test whether a weed could teleport from one shadow beast to another via touch. So we decided to kill one. I can't say for sure, but avoiding it did seem possible at the time.

...have you tested if they can even teleport normally? If storm powers don't work...

[ shakes head ]

We were going to do that too originally, but things got weird with the contact requirement. Either way, the option of avoiding that one multi-beast was there. And fleeing was still an option even after we'd started attacking it.

Angel Devil's coming on the next one. He has some sort of invisibility spell. I can't sense him through it. Who knows if the mist beasts will be able to, but... every little helps, right?

Try testing the power at the mist's edge, yeah? Put two things that cast shadows with each of you, enter it separately, get out again and regroup. You don't need to keep tight hold of someone for just that.

[stop overcomplicating the parts that don't need to be.]

Are you looking for anything specific this second trip?

Something new.

[ possibly getting the birds to talk to the Wolf King on their behalf. but let's not go there, he promised that this would be quick ]

Should be a normal scouting mission. See what we can find without alerting anything, then retreat as soon as there's immediate danger.

...

Although. What do you think of bringing sheep with us? One from each barn, maybe. We don't know how those interact with the mist. I can hold them at a distance pretty easily.

[bruh]

If they can smell Blossom on us already, no need to involve those little guys.

[he can honestly see the merit -- you could spread them out as alternative bait markers, like the goat for the T-rex in Jurassic Park -- but there are probably a bullshit amount of beasts in the mist. also if mist beasts can possess or infect the barn sheep who can't really tell you when they've been a bit injured and have only barely and unpredictably started displaying sentience, that is some extra bullshit nobody needs.

also he thinks Minuet would cry at the prospect of having agreed to kill fluffy little sheep. bad deal all around.]

Edited 2023-08-12 21:13 (UTC)

[ right, right, Minuet is a softie. ]

Fair enough. Just recon, then. No tests, unless we have to improvise. If we do, though...

[ Charon would actually be useful for this kind of planning but he's not gonna say that after flaming the guy. why does he have to be so inconvenient. ]

You wouldn't happen to have experience negotiating with eldritch monsters, would you? Since you were gonna summon a demon and all.

[Charon is also absolutely the guy you want talking with eldritch monsters if you don't want to leave loopholes, and to his knowledge Minuet does not have experience, unless whoever 'that other guy involved with deciding the fate of No Man's Land' merited negotiation and not just a metric ton of bullet lead.

why does Blood Fiend have to be so inconvenient.]

There's a first time for everything, right...

[ just deadeyes him. ]

Guess so.

Well, on the tiny chance that our canine overlord is willing to hear us out, I'm not above telling him I'd betray Blossom. Even if I'm not willing to turn against the pasture... I could pull that part off truthfully. Even then, I'd expect him to laugh at us and kill us on the spot, but who knows.

[ makes a face. this is clearly above his paygrade. this is clearly above Minuet's paygrade. god, why is Charon such a stringent dumbass. ]

— Anyway, on the tiny chance that a negotiation works... if he ends up sealing me in a way that forbids me from talking about it, we should have some kind of... code. My lighthouse doesn't work out there, so I can't exactly record what happens. And if it's a seal, then... looking might hurt you.

[deadeyes him right back. get perceived, loser who says the next trip is to get in and get out and then requests this in the next breath while calling other people reckless]

...

What've you got in mind.

...

[ the lighthouse cube blinks into existence, projecting a video recording of the exchange that just happened, from "You wouldn't happen to have experience...?" until "What've you got in mind". dismisses the lighthouse straight after. ]

Once I'm back, ask me how it went. I'll play this immediately once we're in private. If I don't — or can't, without being able to explain why — you'll know something's up. Recording is fudged in the mist, but the only time I can't sense the lighthouse altogether is when my powers are off. And that situation would be obvious anyway.

Deleting footage only takes a split second. If I feel any sort of mind warping going in, I'm fairly sure I can delete that segment while it's happening.

[ unless his powers get turned off while the warping is happening but. no need to overcomplicate this further. ]

...

Reeeeeeally would like if if there was an extra backup that didn't rely on anyone's powers altogether. Seeing as how they're erratic and all.

You pick, then. Better if it's something I wouldn't come up with naturally.

How comfortable are you with losing a memory. Temporarily.

[ YOU WOULD REALLY LIKE IT IF THERE WAS EXTRA BACKUP THAT DIDN'T RELY ON ANYONE'S POWERS ALTOGETHER HUH.

expression closes off a little. fights it. he did just straight up offer to let Minuet into his head. ]

... Go on.

[EXTRA BACKUP THAT DIDN'T RELY ON ANYONE'S POWERS IN THE MIST, HIS BAD FOR NOT QUALIFYING THAT]

...

No. Bad thought. Let's keep it at the lighthouse idea for now, I need to chew it over. I'll get back to you on it if it seems solid, though.

[ squints. he is curious, but he's already overrunning his promised 'short' debrief. ]

Fine. I'll tell the other shepherds about the weed contact; seems like a waste to get stranded on a technicality. I can include Lethe, if you'd like. You know more about his plans than I do, so it's up to you.

It's a good idea. We've never figured out if he's a special case anyway, with his collar changing and all; might be a good time to find out.

That's everything for now?

Just about.

[ ... well. sighs. ]

I don't think I need to tell you this, but... be nice to the apothecary if you see her. She's competent at what she does, and quite brave; the 'regular' mist creatures didn't even faze her. But the Wolf King himself was a bit — much.

[ Minuet knows cues, he doesn't have to describe the absolute freeze response a regular human teenager would have. ]

Don't patronize her, just — well, you're better with kids than I am.

I'll figure something out to cheer her up.

You get some rest too, all right?

Planning on it, don't you worry. And you too.

... Thanks, Minuet. For everything.

[it is in fact a greater effort not to cat shiver than it has been to keep from feathering out all afternoon

JUST LEAVES INSTEAD OF RESPONDING]

[ @ bluebell. ]

Minuet, come have a look at the garden. It's almost finished. [ save for, like, patio furniture. ]

Edited 2023-08-11 15:09 (UTC)

Oh!

[ Putting whatever he'd been fussing with down and heading over there ]

[ he’ll find a beautiful garden full of flowers, a pond full of fish, and a quaint little waterfall. there’s a small ‘patio’ that’s bare, because what is furniture, but kaveh looks pleased all the same. ]

[

HE LIVES HERE NOW ]

Whoa. You've done incredibly, Fantasia . . .

Thank you. All we need is some furniture and I think I can call it done.

That should be easy enough! We just need to get in a good flock bonding activity and your masterpiece will be complete.

At least that’ll be easy enough.

I did ask you out here for a reason. Red has me on a quest to get my dutar… [ pulls out a kazoo. ] try not to laugh too hard, okay?

[ tries to play something serious on a fucken kazoo and it’s probably fucken hilarious. ]

[

holy shit

Stuffs his fist in his mouth to keep from laughing ]

[ doot doot do doot doot
Doot do doot do doot
Doot doot DOOT DOOT DOOOOT
DOOOOOOT DO DOOOOOOOOOO DOOOOOOOOT ]

[ … ]

[ lowers kazoo. ]

[ regrets life choices. ]

[ … ]

You don’t have to hold your laughter anymore, Minuet. It’s okay…

[ k

Cracks up laughing ]

...yeah, it [ he huffs a laugh of his own, because if you can't beat them - join them. ] sure was. At least it's not as bad as our couch, because, if nothing else, it's brief. The couch is a permanent eyesore.

It's fine, it was kinda cute. It wasn't so--

--You hate the couch??

[ aw, minuet, it's hard to admit that, yes, the couch is offensive to his ocular receptors. ]

I just think that we could... do better. You have to admit it's gaudy. And a little tacky. [ more like a lot tacky. ]

I've been pretending it was fine this whole time because I thought everyone else liked it!!!!!

I don't think Crescendo likes it because... Crescendo and his tastes are like [ raises a hand above his head. ] up here and that couch is like [ lowers his hand below his hip. ] down here. Mute I don't think would really care either way. And I feel like Melody and Rubato would prefer something with a bit more style.

Edited 2023-08-15 00:33 (UTC)

...to be honest I think we all might be pretending to like it because we think everybody else likes it. I know I was keeping my mouth shut for that reason, despite wishing it would just walk out of the barn in the middle of the night.

I-- okay.

Okay.

So we gotta get a new couch.

Nothing. Tacky.

[RING RING RING RING CUBE CALL FROM STYX!]

[help

picks up]

What?

Where ya at?

[everything about this is normal, actually]

Bluebell's garden, why?

Had a thought. Stay there, I'm comin' over.

[hangs up!]

[oh boy.

he stays there. Styx finds him out by the pond. garden's real nice here actually, Fantasia went wild on it]

[cool cool. on his way over and pretty chill.]

Hey. Busy gardenin'?

Woolgathering, actually.

Huh.

... well, wanted to check on somethin' real quick.

[hi, he's sitting very near, actually.]

[he's a little more braced for it this time, so the feathers don't appear instantly, both his hands fold together where they're resting, though, a localized point of tension]

Yeah?

[leans in.]

... be honest with me here: it don't hurt when feathers happen, right?

[swallows hard

...

wait what the fuck. why is this a question Styx feels the need to ask obviously-not-Minuet and not just Minuet. MINUET GET IT TOGETHER.]

No. They don't hurt.

Okay.

[it's time for illusions where Styx and "Minuet" are just having cute pond-side moments.]

Got an illusion up of us just sittin' here. Thing I'll say that I'm not sure you've been able to get so far is that if it starts to hurt, that's when there's trouble.

If it don't hurt, then don't worry 'bout the wings. We need to get 'em moving around more anyway.

[all the times he's seen Vash lose it, he's always been in some kind of pain, so... well, maybe? it's fine.]

[man. Styx sure is invested in keeping Minuet's body in one piece and good shape huh. honestly admirable. a little alarming when Minuet is not the one driving.]

Sorry, you're...asking me to put them out?

[if he doesn't do it, no one will except maybe Perci.]

Yeah. Can look 'em over and make sure feathers aren't messed up--like how Perci does his wings.

And bein' outside's better for stretchin'. More room for it. Wingspan's pretty large.

. . . all right, but it's going to be messy.

Pretty familiar with how it is.

[it's so much harder to hold onto this shape when he's around Styx specifically anyway, and he cannot just tell him to leave with this setup. incredible. he might as well give in to the inevitability.

so. fine. he lets Minuet's shape go. lets it unspool completely. tries as a courtesy not to hit Styx in the face with any of the massive pile of emergent wings that results. folds some of them over whatever remains humanoid of the body and face, because he truly does not want to both do this and be directly perceived by Styx.

holy fuck what a relief, actually.]

[... muttering about how Vash keeps holding back jesus christ.

anyway, gonna slowly and gently check over the wings. some of them are definitely ruffled from other blortings. probably comparable to the level of care he took when Charon was bsod'd during gun shooting]

[Styx can do whatever the fuck he wants. maybe it's better for Minuet's body to get this back after the person who cares about Minuet the most has been kind to it in a way he doesn't get to be normally. he himself can just, like, dissociate from the experience due to how completely outside the human norm it is. probably.

(the wings get fluffier when Styx checks over them. it does appear to be normal responsive fluffing-out this time rather than the shrieking Pusheen stress response of before, and incidentally is pretty great for revealing disarranged and damaged underlayer feathers.)]

Edited 2023-08-13 05:48 (UTC)

[cool cool he doesn't have to acknowledge that this is also a bid for CALM THE FUCK DOWN WHEN I'M AROUND, JESUS. just gentle finger combs and straightening of ruffled feathers]

[amazingly, it is much easier for him to calm the fuck down if he has let go of the active unfamiliar stress response he has been holding onto by the skin of his teeth, has twenty metaphorical quilts weighing him down to the ground, and doesn't have to look anyone in the eye anymore for a while.

if he lets out a real big sigh at some point during this preening and everything seems to measurably smooth and settle some all through the heap, well.

maybe they can just not talk about that.]

[they can just not talk about that.]

... for the record, the illusion's Minuet making flower crowns.

[because that's funny]

[muffled]

I can't move. You're going to have to make them all for plausibility before we get out of here.

Nah. He can eat 'em.

[this is how we bully a Vash.

but also, lowkey, a Charon.]

[rude]

Rude.

[very vaguely raises a wing in the direction of Styx's face, though he's not really trying that hard. bap]

[every time...

plucking out a bent feather, undeterred. very quick. blink and you'd miss it.]

But accurate.

That wouldn't even taste good.

[all the wings just kind of twitch and shake out when he registers that a second later, not in pain, just ???what a weird sensation???]

Probably.

[doesn't seem fussed about the details, anyway.]

[with the faintest touch of accusation -- actually more audible to him like this because it's in Minuet's voice, most likely]

You are being nice.

[WHAT HAPPENED TO NOT BRINGING ATTENTION TO IT?]

Yeah? And?

... I ain't good at it but people keep sayin' I should try it anyway.

[there are so many things he could say here and all of them feel like whining. he would in fact rather eat a flower crown made of oleander and aconite than whine at Styx. the cocoon of feathers shivers with indecision.]

...fine.

If it makes ya that uncomfortable, I'll knock it off when we're done here.

[fine with him, he sucks at this "nice" thing anyway]

It's not--ugh.

No. You should keep trying it.

Gettin' mixed messages here...

You should keep trying it in general and with people you are fond of.

I hear it's good for you.

Hasn't felt that great to me. Everyone gets tense and anxious.

Who's everyone?

Exageratin' some, maybe, but that's how it feels and it's not like they're wrong to feel that way. So it's fine either way.

[focusing on fussing at trickier to get at wings now. very busy. gosh.]

[he's just kind of drunkenly lifting them and furling them out for Styx to get at as he wants to, as soon as he feels the external urging from him and as long as Styx isn't touching the inner layer he's actively hiding in. absolutely 110% more easily cooperative with this than Minuet has been to date, even if he's uncoordinated and the conversation is ornery]

"It's fine either way" is a strange way to say "it bothers me."

'Cause it doesn't bother me, idiot. Bothers me more when people try to say they're fine and they're very obviously not.

[prodding a larger wing he's already gone through.]

Stretch 'em when they're done. Straighten and bend.

[...he would retort but he trails off into wordless grumbling at having to figure out how to maneuver infinity new limbs for a bit. why can he not just lie in a useless heap and only be petted forever, like, one time. why must he also take care of the body's exercises for it. it is actively harder to move anything once he starts thinking instead of just letting the wings react on their own.

he finally sorts out the one Styx is indicating and stretches it to full span, though, feeling the resultant alien feedback of stiffness and cramp. oh, yikes.]

[and that's why we take advantage of this moment when someone more cooperative and less HELLA TRAUMATIZED is in the body.

he is keeping an eye on the movement, though.]

You good?

[sells Minuet out without a moment's hesitation]

The less they've been out the more difficult 'stretch and bend' is. You're going to have to help some.

[that's a definite tongue click of "knew it"]

Yeah, did it a few times when I last did this. S'fine.

[it is not fine, it's actually something he's been mulling over and debating on how to deal with among other things like "fuck having to keep the wings on lockdown if they're not part of the actual terrible weapon part"]

[Styx soothing down Minuet's fears of human presentation is NOT directly a him problem and should not be, but he can probably be somewhat more proactive about the physical one on hand right now, given Minuet has apparently infinite feathers and they do not have infinite time]

Hand.

I'm going to share something with you. Nothing overly intrusive. Just about the wings.

[hesitates as if debating merits of how far to push this...

holding out his hand, palm up, but not sticking it near the face feathers or anything like that]

[the face feathers are WELL HIDDEN thank you very much

a bunch more curl over, though. usually Minuet will just put out like one fine tendril, but with Charon operating and unpracticed it ends up being a few dozen of them wrapping up Styx's whole arm like a fluffy octopus. it also still takes him a bit to press open that point of connection.

Styx can feel him instantly when he does, as out of sorts as a housecat dropped into a snowfield, stressed and concerned and bone-weary and pitilessly sharp. resentful about how much he personally cares about the situation, in a way that does not diminish the level of the actual care. worrying about a thousand different things and people. as unable to switch that off and not do something about a problem in front of him as Styx is unable to take grass for granted. building an answer to it in real time for Styx, in bright quicksilver lines, as fast as the unfamiliar body's senses will feed him the information he needs.]

[Styx, for his part, was bracing for the expected sharing and there's probably something like the vaguest sense of him shoving emotions far into the background, out of immediate reach. he's not practiced at it, but it's clearly been something he's worked on, barest of barriers.

more immediately felt is probably his own stress and concern and worry, backed by frustration and bolstered by faint irritation. basically, what he feels seems completely opposite of how he presents with his scowls and harsher words. but for the moment, he's focused on the task at hand, a little surprised by the amount of wings that ended up around his arm, and determinedly picking out the information as best as he can.]

[we don't have time to unpack all thaaaaat but Charon is perhaps glad for one of them being able to maintain distance. he himself has had no practice at it at all, and even if he had he'd still be shit at trying to shield when he is literally the one facilitating a connection to somebody else.

what he shoves at Styx when he's completed it is, well, a body map. a wing map. not really tracking exact wings themselves, since they feel mutable and able to shift form and placement, but...trouble spots, a ranking from highest to lowest priority to pay attention to. obviously all the wings need attention and exercise, but he's pointing him exactly at where the worst of them are, where they've been so folded in and locked away that outside intervention is needed before Minuet can really maneuver them to work out further issues on his own.]

Edited 2023-08-13 17:04 (UTC)

[all right. making... note of all that. jesus, so many wings and he's immediately adjusting so he's focusing on the more problem areas. getting their feathers sorted and then trying to gently, oh so gently with calloused and rough hands, manually manipulating those wings into movement.]

[the nice thing is this barely even counts as powering through pain in an unhealthy way because 1) it's good for someone else and 2) all of it is so weird he can mostly treat it like a very tactile intellectual exercise instead of really living in it and freaking out more.

which is to say, he doesn't really react like Styx is hurting him, though sometimes a wing ruffles involuntarily if the cramp is very bad and he'll tell him to either stop for a second or work it through. once it's loose enough to move he makes Styx help flex it creakily out to its full span as best as he can. it's easy to get into a rhythm about it.]

[meanwhile, this is probably the quietest Styx has ever been and his own anxiety ratcheting up along with some other negative emotions that are getting shoved to the obscure background because not now. but he wasn't lying about thinking he's not great at being nice or gentle and even knowing Vash's wings aren't bird bone hollow like Perci's doesn't help making him feel like one wrong move might fuck things up instead of make them better.

but it's fine. he's fine. just 100% focusing on doing it right, listening to the cues, etc.]

--y'can turn off the mental stuff. Got a good general idea where the worst is.

[...

You're fine as you are, you know. Sometimes trying counts for more than getting it right the first time.

it's sincere.

but he draws back. the door closes. the feathers clinging to Styx's arm unravel all at once]

Edited 2023-08-13 19:19 (UTC)

[well, thank God for that because Styx trying so damn hard to keep down whatever emotions threatened to come up at that thought, though maybe hints of the embarrassment and even bit of shame for any of it getting picked up on get through, who knows. just gotta work on that some more, clearly. he's not saying shit about it.

just continuing his work.]

[simply they can just never talk about it more and keep dying! that seems like a feasible path to take!

for now -- yeah, they are cooperating to get the job done, to make sure at least all the fully locked-up wings are in better shape for Minuet to come back to. does Styx stop it at that or decide he wants to also get at the ones that are at like 70-80% fucky instead of only the 90-100% fucky ones?]

[GOOD NOT-TALK, YEP.

he's gonna keep at it until Charon decides he's had enough, really. might not be the most comfortable, but probably it feels better after they get unstuck?]

[well i mean he doesn't say anything per se

but actually at some point into working on some of the less terrible ones he stops being responsive. like the wings still nudge up and fluff when Styx touches them, but he's stopped responding to instructions and everything seems to have relaxed out some again.

oops. Styx made him fall asleep]

[oops

well,,,

that's. hm. that's fine. guess stretches will have to stop there except for smaller wings. time for just finger combing and preening whatever feathers he hasn't gotten to yet.

Charon needs naps anyway. so it's fine. he can nap and Styx will wake him up after a little while.]

[ pretend he gave some generic heads up around mid-morning just before he walked into the mist again, i just oocly forgot to write one.

around noon, in the most playful tone he can muster: ]

All good, dumbass. Catch you later if you want the code, I'm going back to sleep for now. Don't break the kitchen, I lost a sizable amount of dignity for that.

[ he is neither good nor going to sleep lmao ]

[ If he's admitting to going to sleep then he's either lying about going to sleep or lying about not being fucked up.

CALLS BACK ]

[ gives it a few rings before answering ]

You really don't know how to give someone space, do you?

Well, you don't sound too screwed up.

[ So, desired information gathered. ]

Call me back later.

[ he's not screwed up!! just a 7 out of 10 on the "I want to go apeshit" scale and probably staying there until he gets his wolfsbane tea, lmao ]

Got it.

[ HANGS UP ]

[ calls him back at some nebulous evening time. ring ring ]

Yo. I hope you really did sleep.

Not a wink. 'sup?

I'm waiting to hear what happened.

Do you want the second-hand but painless explanation, or the accurate and potentially unpleasant one?

I think you know the answer already.

My tail was mauled — yes, it's fine now — and I spent the latter half of the trip feeling... unpleasant. You sure?

It's fine.

[ He's used to being mauled. It's fine. ]

[ sighs ]

Lighthouse, then.

Ten minutes.

[ HANGS UP.

He shows up right on time, carrying a bunch of jerky and berries that end up tossed in Blood Fiend's direction. ]

[ catches. stomach growls. oh right, eating's a thing. in case Minuet is SCRUTINIZING, he looks fine, just tired. ]

Thanks.

[ HE KNEW IT. THAT'S WHY HE BROUGHT IT!!!

He does, in fact, scrutinize. ]

Well, I can tell you weren't lying about getting zero sleep.

[ rolls his eyes ]

You'll see why. Ready when you are.

[ Holds out his hand, feathery tendril unfurling. ]

[ reaches out, then hesitates. bites lip ]

I'll share the whole thing for accuracy's sake. But just so you know, "unpleasant" is kind of an understatement for how I felt back there. Not just because of the bite. It's why I didn't want to talk earlier. I know you can handle it, I just — sorry.

[ believe it or not he doesn't want to inflict his murderous rage on you, ugh ]

. . . Thanks.

But it's alright. After all, I asked you to.

[ evenly ]

Well, here goes.

[ takes Minuet's hand, channeling the memory.

notably, in no particular order:

- Zenith and Angel Devil are both massive trashtalkers. it was quite amusing at the start.
- he was incredibly reluctant to fry Teleute with his aura. activating it would have made fighting a lot easier.
- taking the time to warn her about it was ultimately what cost them Angel Devil. he needed the power boost to hold Wolf Devil down with flow control, but the wolf was fast enough to run out of effective range because he gave Teleute time to leave
- mist beasts are fucking suicidal. their situation doesn't seem to be their fault, but he's rather indignant at being told to die with them. he'll die on his own terms, thanks
- rping as a Bluebell is the opposite of effective and he's mad at himself for trying
- getting your tail bitten as an animal fucking hurts. it's not the worst wound he's suffered, not even close, but it's like stepping on an upturned plug
- maybe don't cast darkness spells on shadows. he's not upset with Angel Devil for this, more baffled, though he does think there must have been some logic to it because he knows that Angel Devil is not stupid
- generally upset with himself for leaving the stragglers in the first place
- upset with himself for allowing himself to get bitten by Angel Devil. he should have just used flow control to yank Angie along. (he was reluctant to startle Angie further knowing that he was in danger of wolfing out. SHOULD HAVE JUST SAID FUCK IT)
- some near-murderous rage toward Blossom at the end, possibly misdirected. this is the part he really didn't want to inflict on Minuet because feeling like that is Not Fun. abandoning a teammate sucks, actually
- he's not a bad shot, even without flow control. with flow control, he's near perfect because cheating is great
- flow control can absolutely be mistaken for telekinesis but he does actively think of it as flow control and not "magic". he does not classify any of his abilities as magic despite calling them magic out loud for simplicity's sake

anyway the memory ends with Blood Fiend at around 7 out of 10 on the wanting to go apeshit scale SORRY MINUET. Minuet will get a strong apologetic beam, tinged with no small amount of embarrassment, in his direction as soon as the memory ends. Blood Fiend breaks the connection immediately after ]

[ Well. That definitely IS a lot.

Your guilt complex, Blood Fiend . . .

None of it seems to body him though, even if he does grimace a little. ]

Now what the hell're we supposed to do about this . . .

[ shut up ]

Shadow Fiend and Charon both have ideas.

...

He can have the memory. Show it to anyone else and I'll kill you.

[ No. You've been Seen. ]

I won't. I don't actually like doing this stuff, you know.

[ but yeah he's absolutely gonna show Charon lmao ]

Just checking.

Our best bet for now is to lure him out. Shadow Fiend wants to use Rose as bait, but Rose isn't that combat-heavy.

Know any strong barrier users? I think we should try to lure him back to the edge of the pasture and cure him there, while someone erects a barrier around us if possible.

Mmm, that's what I'd do . . . fighting in the mists would be a shitshow. For barriers -- Lethe and Melody, at minimum. I don't actually know what kinda crazy abilities people around here are hiding.

There's also physical restraint. We muzzled Fantasia, and managed to subdue him when the whole flock used Bluebell's momentum ability on him at once.

Mm, yeah. Charon already suggested Lethe.

[ surprise surprise they talked lmao ]

...

I can use much more power here. You saw why I didn't want to in the mist.

[ WOW BOYS HE'S PROUD OF YOU??? ]

Yeah. And I imagine those reasons hold up regardless of who's with you.

[ tiredly ]

The only person I know that can withstand it is Angel Devil.

Of course.

Yep.

If it's back here... as much as I want to keep the golem form hidden, I want to get bitten even less. So I might have to use it if I need to get close.

Do you want help keeping people away?

... If you're up for it. Don't prioritize that if something more urgent comes up.

You know I spent my first week here telling people I was a harmless pet cat, right? It was fun.

. . . Yeah, I get it.

But if that were real, it'd also mean not being able to do what you need to.

I know.

Do as much as you want to help, but if people still see — it's fine. This is my mess.

It's not just yours.

But even if it was, nobody's gonna let you carry it alone.

...

You have a really punchable face.

And you say rude things to avoid addressing honest emotional vulnerability.

[ snorts ]

I hate this.

What's "this" referring to, specifically?

[ opens mouth. eyes darken. closes mouth. ]

...

The wolf situation.

Yeah, no kidding.

Sounds like Angel Devil's one of the worst people who could've wolfed out, too.

[ sighing ]

We'll figure it out. Is there anything else you wanted to know? I should go secure a spare wolfsbane plant from the apothecary, otherwise. I used part of mine earlier.

Just keep me appraised of the situation. And . . . if you need help with anything that doesn't involve actually going into the mists, you know where to find me.

[ blinks. fuckin deflates. ]

Thank fuck.

....... What?

Nothing.

[ SQUINTS SUSPICIOUSLY AT HIM ]

You and I are among the worst wolf candidates here. I'm glad you see that.

I'm playing support back here while the others scout. Given that the last thing I did was shoot Angel Devil and use flow control on him, going in sounds like a terrible idea.

[ . . . SIGH ]

Yeah, yeah. I'm aware.

Just let me know when it's happening, if you want me on standby to run interference.

[RING RING MINUET SHE HAS IMPORTANT ROMANTIC SHIT TO ASK YOU]

[ (still a better option than Lethe) ]

Hi!

What's up?

I have something really important I need you to do.

[ ACTIVATES ]

Did something happen? Is everyone alright?

You have to promise you don't tell anyone it was me who asked you to do it, okay?

[ well she's PROBABLY not about to ask him to kill somebody, so ]

Alright. I promise.

[she's AUDIBLY taking a deep breath]

I—

[and then her cube starts to vibrate and there's another audible breath]

CanyouaskSonataifshelikesme—

[LETTING THE BREATH OUT, she sounds like she's STRUGGLING]

[ GIRL

OH MY GOD ]

Okay, okay, slow down.

You gotta gimme some context first.

Edited 2023-08-16 20:32 (UTC)

What kind of context do you need for me liking Sonata!?

Isn't it important for me to understand your heartfelt feelings first?

No. You just need to ask her if she likes me!

. . . You're not ashamed of your feelings, are you?

I hope not.

Also no.

I'm just! Bad at feelings! Especially lately!

[and she's terrified of rejection]

What will you do if her answer is yes?

Talk to her about it.

I just—don't want to make it awkward. We're teammates. And—I just don't want to ruin anything.

. . . I understand.

[ He can certainly sympathize with that!!!!!! ]

I'll talk to her, and won't tell her why I'm asking.

Thank you.

It was between you and Lethe, so...

. . . Lethe doesn't know a single thing about this stuff . . .

Do you?

I'm an old man, remember?

With enough time you rack up experiences, good and bad both.

He's old, too.

I didn't know who to pick so I flipped a coin.

I'll let you in on a secret.

I'm way older than he is.

Like... how old?

Really, really old.

Like Zenith old?

. . . Depends.

How old is Zenith?

A few hundred years.

[ Oh. He didn't know this.

Damn no wonder Zenith is so cranky. ]

Somethin' like that, yeah.

So you're older than dirt like he is, got it.

It feels less bad being called old for factually being old than because teenagers think mid-twenties counts as 'old.'

There are a lot of different kinds of oldness.

Mid-twenties is old. Thirties is ancient. A hundred is probably being around when the dinosaurs lived? A few hundred is older than dirt.

My god . . .

You're probably older than god, too.

Remind me again, were you asking me for a favor out of the goodness of my heart?

The sign is B.

Rotten brat.

Zenith is a bad influence!

And I'd reeeeeeally appreciate it.

A likely story . . .

I'll let you know what she says.

Edited 2023-08-16 23:44 (UTC)

Thank you, Minuet.

[ Mute has at least once before joined Minuet for his standard gargoyle routine, but most nights not. In fact, they tended to be more active at night, more willing to stray further from the flock they knew to be (mostly) sleeping (mostly) safe and (mostly) sound in the barn. They had gone out wandering again tonight after the couch burning. If Minuet had been watching, he would have seen them talking to Yata before diverting their normal wandering route. They go to the very edge of the pasture fence, not to the gate, but rather to the point that gets closest to the forest, where they stand clenching the top rail for a long time. They finally hop the fence and head into the forest. They come out not long later with a small something they take and drop off where Rubato likes to clean game.

Finally, as the pre-dawn light begins to bloom, they come around the back side of the barn.

When they climb up the side, it’s not just that they’re not being stealthy about it, but that they are being artificially unstealthy in their approach: noisy enough that even a slightly dense human could easily notice. They do a pretty decent job of making it sound natural.

Without saying anything, they go to sit down nearby. It’s not touching, not even close, but still a noticeable few inches closer than they usually do. They pull out a knife, and a stone, a canteen, and a scrap of fluffy cloth recovered from the hoodie they were wearing when Bluebell blew ~~bell~~ up.

Still without a word, they start to sharpen the knife. ]

[ He startles a little -- not at their approach, exactly, since he'd seen that coming.

Maybe it's the fact that they climbed up at all, even knowing he's up here. Settled close by. He knows a Mood™ when he sees one, even at a distance, and those usually come with . . . isolation. At least for him. ]

[ Ah . . . well. Sometimes the isolation is even more stifling than the company.

He scoots sideways as they approach, making room for them, but saying nothing. He does eventually flick a blueberry their way, fully expecting they'll catch it without issue. ]

Edited 2023-08-16 22:08 (UTC)

[ they do catch it, then crush it in their fist ]

Edited 2023-08-16 22:14 (UTC)

[ Just chuckles ]

Thanks for the meat.

[ . . . ]

You should thank the turtle. She . . . did all the work.

[ It’s not a rebuff, they are 100% sincere. ]

Mm. I thank all the meat before we prepare it.

[ Has Mute seen him creep into the Rubato's meat processing area when nobody's around? Yeah. PROBABLY. Is he saying a quiet thank you and apology to every dead animal? DEFINITELY. ]

[ His tone and what they know of him is enough to have no doubt to his sincerity as well. That Minuet understood, even without being told . . . That was good. He seemed to get a lot about the natural world, for someone who had been so deprived of it.

Rhys, for his part, had found their habit a little infantile: a tolerable quirk of an otherwise unobjectionable student. But they had always done it. Even before Rhys, even when they were alone, when they were too wild to speak. It had felt important, like the one shred of decency that strange feral little beast had retained from its short dint as a human.

After everything with Yata, it had felt like their heart had been tied up in knots— bound in tangling, strangling vines of loneliness and total unsuitability for companionship. Minuet’s instinctive understanding, the value they shared without ever having spoken it, made the knot loosen, just a little.

They nod, satisfied. ]

Then, for my small part . . . you’re welcome.

[ He offers them a smile before turning his eyes up to the sky again. It's his default -- watching the sky or scanning the pasture, one or the other, on a loop all night. Their presence certainly seems to be no imposition to whatever this ritual is. ]

[ That look is so practiced, so intentional. Mute wonders what it’s supposed to communicate, and what its indented audience might see. Mute thinks that the smile must communicate to Mute about as much as Mute’s own blank expression communicates to most everyone else.

To Mute’s eyes, his expression is too abstract, too removed from whatever he’s really feeling for them to even parse what the lie is supposed to be, let alone use it to triangulate what truth it might be hiding. As so often the case, particularly with their shepherd, Mute’s internal calculations are missing too many variables to be solved.

The meaning of his silence, though, is clear: in this moment, they are welcome beside him.

And that’s enough.

Stone returns to its path along blade, the steady scrape-scrape sounding not entirely unlike the insects that have quieted down with the approaching dawn. ]

Edited (SINGULAR THEY MAKE SENSE CHALLENGE: REFERRING TO BOTH YOURSELF AND A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE SAME SENTENCE ) 2023-08-17 03:05 (UTC)

[ He lets the silence rest for a long while, saying nothing, eyes locked on the pasture below.

But after a while -- perhaps when it seems like they've reached a stopping point on their own blades -- he taps his boot against the awning, a knife popping out of it.

He holds it out. ]

Would you mind . . . ?

[ !! They shake their head, no they don’t mind, and accept the blade.

The possible implications of this are as follows:
A. Minuet is allowing them to do him a favor as part of an ingratiation scheme (good sign, Minuets desires that they like him, and they do)
B. Minuet trusts them with their weaponry (very good sign, growing Teamwork)
C. Minuet legitimately desires their assistance so that he may keep resting (great sign, increased delegation, respect for Mute’s abilities)
D. Minuet is enjoying their company and wishes to give them a reason to continue being here (super great sign, they are having a “nice time”)

The single act (deeply over-thought as it may be) does a lot to further reassure them of their place here. They take a bit to inspect the knife before picking up a different stone to begin polishing. ]

Edited 2023-08-24 05:18 (UTC)

[ Why not all of the above?

The knife is well-used and not in great shape, so they've got their work cut out for them. Probably not a surprise given he keeps that shit in a boot to be ejected on command. ]

[ Yeeeeah, it takes a while. Even moreso when they have to re-select the best tools for treating an unfamiliar metal. Still, they work steadily until the neglected, chipped edge has been polished away, and the blade is as gleaming and deadly as new. They offer it back to him (handle towards him, blade held with the cloth to guard their own fingers), and keep their hand held out expectantly. They know you have more janky, neglected blades on you, mister. ]

It . . . hurts more . . . if you let the blade . . . stay like that. Slower to die from, longer to heal from . . . more chance for infection.

Edited 2023-08-24 19:02 (UTC)

[ He takes it, chuckles a little, and produces three more in varying states of well-abused. ]

Don't worry, they're not for using on anything living. But you're right.

[ if you are using your nasty boot knife to clean game I sWEAR TO GOD.]

Mm. Anything . . . worth cutting is worth . . . cutting cleanly.

[ their voice is still a little dull and detached, but their expression has gotten a little less pained, their posture a little less tense. The company is helping. ]

[ HE IS NOT CLEANING GAME ARE YOU JOKING. HE'D CRY. ]

It's a good thing I can rely on you to keep my gear in order, then.

[ Oh no. oh nooooo. they just. Nod. and duck their head. and go back to sharpening with careful, even strokes.

The sun is just beginning to peek over the horizon by the time all knives are back in proper deadly order. Each one sharpened and polished and oiled before being handed back. They don't wait for any more after that three, just quietly fold their kit back up and put it away in their hoodie pocket. ]

Anymore . . . later.

Of course. You've more than earned a break.

[ Tucking the various knives away, extra careful now ]

Thank you, Mute.

[ Gives the tiniest hint of a smile as they nod. Then just scootch around so that their back is to his side, lean into him, and pull their hat down over their face.

Nap time. ]

[ He holds perfectly still at first, before realizing they've dozed off.

Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.

He's not gonna cry about this but he is going to think about it for a long, long time. Rests his hand on their head, briefly, before turning back to his silent contemplation of the pasture.

Sleep well, Mute. ]

May we speak?

[ Spoken across his mini cube version of himself. ]

Crescendo? Yeah, of course -- you good?

I simply have a question.

. . . We know that Blossom continues to summon people. Is it true that her summoning often fails, and the people who do not make it into the pasture are instead taken by Lady Death?

Ah . . .

[ . . . ]

Yeah. As far as we know, it's true.

Apparently Blossom admitted as much at that one secrets ritual we missed.

[ . . . . . ]

Should we not be stopping her? If that is the case, she is essentially killing others. Our friends, and family... the people we love could be among those who have not made it to this place.

[ "should we not do this stupid insane thing you've thought about doing like a dozen times already" truly this is #bluebell ]

I've . . . thought about it. But . . .

I think we should try something else first.

Do you have a plan in mind?

You remember the Nothing, right? And all those souls that were wandering there, aimless?

I want to free them.

Ah... you have, perhaps, hit upon what I was hoping to do, as well. I do not know how exactly, yet. But... should we visit Lady Death again and see what can be done from the other side?

The eye is currently closed.

[ . . . ]

. . . Although I do not believe she would be very happy to see us waltz to our deaths once more. If there is another way to go there without losing our life, it would be ideal.

Mmm . . . She's definitely doing us a favor by ignoring us right now. I'm not sure how well deliberately busting in there would go over. I don't want her to change her mind on letting us all off the hook half the time.

We could try sending her a message without going ourselves, though . . .

Do you have an idea as to how to get one to her?

Not so concretely . . . but the fountain's gotta be our best bet.

I wonder if something like a near-death experience there might... make a difference.

When you were near death after your encounter with Teleute . . . did you experience anything strange?

. . . Perhaps not outside of how the word 'eternity' seemed to echo through my mind.

Oh! About that . . . I think that word will be very important for dealing with Teleute.

You may be right. She showed me something recently. Something unpleasant. But... it makes sense in context to it.

--? More recently than your first encounter?

Yes. After the fireworks the other day, I stumbled into her and realized who it was.

Are you alright? Did anything happen?

It-- yes, and no. My confrontation with her was disturbing to say the very least. But I am all right. It has not deterred me from my goals. If anything, I am quite dismayed by the state she is forced to endure from one moment to the next.

Would you mind telling me what happened?

She grabbed me-- pulled me toward her face, and that void-

[Releasing a slightly shaky breath. ]

I... I saw the death of... everything. Without ever having been able to reach its potential... countless billions of lives destroyed, but unable to escape an endless eternity of that ceaseless torment.

Somehow... it is all gathered up in that tiny body.

[ HEY TELEUTE CAN YOU LEAVE HIS SON ALONE? JESUS FUCK ]

. . . Yeah. I've seen it too.

"Does life have meaning?" Apparently Hope and her sisters were tasked with finding the answer to that. Her sisters made one decision; she made another. That's why they've locked her away.

Her sisters are the rest of the birds?

. . . She is intimidating to be around. But for some reason, I do not feel as though I can leave her alone, either.

[ . . . Oh! ]

But I did not go looking for trouble! It was sometime after the fireworks. I did not leave the pasture, or anything.

Haha, I wasn't gonna scold you.

But I agree, I don't really want to just leave that situation be either.

( sheep ) ic inbox

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morning... 14?

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day 14 literally during bartender game

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day 14 calling him back 30 minutes later

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at some point day 14

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