I'll see him soon enough. Seems like a lot of us are starting to find out more to help us. I think checking with each other is one of our strongest assets right now, but it's always worth double-checking with you guys anyway.
[but here she pauses, like she knows the answer but she wants to try anyway.]
...the ritual preparations we do on Saturdays. Is there anything that can be done so we can ensure the person killing the monster on Sundays is at least a little more qualified? [we really threw a girl with one arm into the void.] Not that Asa didn't handle herself, but...she shouldn't have had to either.
[ they nod their head in acknowledgement. it is fine to come to them. ]
Well, you and Rondo should have more in common to talk about than just the information he has to help you.
The participants of what happens on the day following the trial is chosen by the magic of this place, and it is not something we know, or can alter unfortunately.
[she nods to the first point because yes, true, she has plenty in common to talk to rondo about and it's part of why she likes the guy. she doesn't necessarily see the reason to reiterate that though. war understands and aerith understands.]
Is it magic that other members of the cult can control? Or it's more like...natural magic? [she could accept it's natural magic, frankly, but she does wonder how much their overseers know versus the higher-ups in their cult.] I was only wondering because of the other rituals they've done already.
Natural magic. Or, well, perhaps it could technically be considered unnatural, but of the natural plane. This dimension. It is a give and take. A pound of flesh, if you will.
A lot of headaches? [dry.] ...I know Lucas has been praying and keeps hearing scriptures. And some of the others have found information from you or other sources.
[there's a pause.]
Where we're from, things are a little different. There's...a connection I have, and I can feel the planet. The energy, if she's in pain...everything like that. That doesn't work here, obviously, but I guess I keep hoping if I try something will stand out. Until then, I'm relying on everyone else.
You sound like a druid. [ final fantasy druidism ] I don't think it's wrong to try. We are as well. You just have to be careful how boldly you're making the attempt since we are being watched.
And we, of course, have to be careful how much help we extend to you all.
I guess? [unsure if druid.] After what happened, it shouldn't be surprising to anyone that the three of you have to be even more careful, too. But...it could be possible we'll be watched a little less when we've been here for some time, right? We can't be that interesting.
I wouldn't underestimate your importance to them, especially in completing this ritual. You may not be interesting to them in the smaller details, but your presence will be watched.
And perhaps even more closely knowing quite a few of you are suddenly perishing, even though the cause is their own. It would be a pain for them to bring in more, but that is something they would be willing to do if needed.
Then...maybe they should stop summoning monsters now that they've seen the results? If they're so worried about making sure enough of us are still alive for their purposes, they're really not helping themselves here.
...probably not. When people are so focused on results, it's harder to find a way to derail them. Even if that doesn't mean it's impossible, some of them are really dedicated.
[anyway unfortunately there are soon shadows swarming, and it means that war is treated to something that proves her point until 2:26:56.]
[ justin timberlake look into the camera i had this ugly piece of shit
for as much as they pride themselves on being sassy and upholding that, the falter comes in their muted silence afterward. dedicated, deranged scientists who have lost empathy for the sake of research........... ]
Sometimes? [dryly. she still looks a little pissed because she's so tired of this weird fucker.] He isn't someone who cares much about consequences so long as he gets the results he wants. Everything is a "fascinating discovery" to him. Something he can experiment with and push to its limits until it no longer serves him.
[ the way war also does not like hojo now. fucking weirdo. insane behavior. couldn't be them.
the shadows come in again. great! great for aerith to have a treat. ]
Aerith is standing in front of a familiar doorway in a familiar section of a familiar city. The light is dim, lit only by the green magic inside of lanterns, the sky overhead a brilliant, luminescent night.
She knocks on the door, and her hand is a deeply rich, beautiful dark purple, a few of the fingers encapsulated by silver rings. The door opens suddenly and an extremely tall, bovine-featured man with pink hair smiles in greeting at her. "Oh! Hey!" he says in a languid, cheerful tone.
She glides - it's gliding because her feet are not touching the ground - in, and a dark-skinned human woman inside with others says suspiciously, "Is this a noise complaint?"
"No," she says quickly, "it is nothing like a noise complaint. I just, ah," - and she looks around at all their faces: a green-skinned half-orc, a scruffy man who looks a lot like Gale, a small goblin woman, a blue-skinned tiefling, a giant (literally) of a woman, the pink-haired firbolg, trying to find a way around the shyness - "I..."
There is a long pause. Uncertainty. They look back at her, waiting. She has not done this in a very long time, if at all, she realizes. Be in the presence of friends and join them for something more intimate than being begged for teleportation, or being carted around a prison.
"...If you would have a guest for dinner perhaps?"
There is another pause - of shock from them, of course, of surprise. This is not like her at all. Her? Dinner? WITH THEM? Their faces quickly break from surprise to elation.
Suddenly, the blue tiefling excitedly waves at her and says, "Come on in, Essek, we invited you before! Come, come, come!"
"I had thought about it," she says to them as she moves farther in. "I hadn't really... done something like this in a while, and perhaps it is... something I should do."
She pulls out a bottle of wine and offers it out. "This is Blooming Grove's diamond plum wine."
"Ohh," says the goblin woman, "I'll decant it right away!"
"My apologies," she says afterward. Carefully, she drops from the float onto the ground - no taller than at least five-feet-six - and begins to remove her cloak and the exquisite mantle around her shoulders and neck. Strangely, all seven of them watch her eagerly as she does this - weirdo behavior - but there isn't anything beneath except exceptional, rich boy finery.
She talks with them about a few things - about being under the expectation to float, about the firbolg preparing to cook, about the strange sound of them playing music she could hear from a distance. A cat jumps into her lap, sleek and brown with familiar striped legs and face and a spotted back. It looks at her with the same sort of iridescent eyes as the sparrow, the owl, the spider, the octopus even if she hasn't seen those forms.
It's comforting somehow. Surprised, she says, "Oh, hello," and gives it a few awkward pets. Somehow, it's comforting before Caleb - that is his name, the wizard, she knows; all their names she knows actually: Beauregard, Fjord, Nott, Jester, Caduceus, Yasha - asks how the mood is here in the dynasty.
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...No, I was only informing you of the best way to find the answers to those questions.
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I'll see him soon enough. Seems like a lot of us are starting to find out more to help us. I think checking with each other is one of our strongest assets right now, but it's always worth double-checking with you guys anyway.
[but here she pauses, like she knows the answer but she wants to try anyway.]
...the ritual preparations we do on Saturdays. Is there anything that can be done so we can ensure the person killing the monster on Sundays is at least a little more qualified? [we really threw a girl with one arm into the void.] Not that Asa didn't handle herself, but...she shouldn't have had to either.
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Well, you and Rondo should have more in common to talk about than just the information he has to help you.
The participants of what happens on the day following the trial is chosen by the magic of this place, and it is not something we know, or can alter unfortunately.
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Is it magic that other members of the cult can control? Or it's more like...natural magic? [she could accept it's natural magic, frankly, but she does wonder how much their overseers know versus the higher-ups in their cult.] I was only wondering because of the other rituals they've done already.
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Natural magic. Or, well, perhaps it could technically be considered unnatural, but of the natural plane. This dimension. It is a give and take. A pound of flesh, if you will.
Equivalent exchange.
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As far as we know right now, no. Have any of you found anything in this place since you've arrived?
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[there's a pause.]
Where we're from, things are a little different. There's...a connection I have, and I can feel the planet. The energy, if she's in pain...everything like that. That doesn't work here, obviously, but I guess I keep hoping if I try something will stand out. Until then, I'm relying on everyone else.
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[ a lot of headaches indeed. ]
You sound like a druid. [ final fantasy druidism ] I don't think it's wrong to try. We are as well. You just have to be careful how boldly you're making the attempt since we are being watched.
And we, of course, have to be careful how much help we extend to you all.
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And perhaps even more closely knowing quite a few of you are suddenly perishing, even though the cause is their own. It would be a pain for them to bring in more, but that is something they would be willing to do if needed.
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[anyway unfortunately there are soon shadows swarming, and it means that war is treated to something that proves her point until 2:26:56.]
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for as much as they pride themselves on being sassy and upholding that, the falter comes in their muted silence afterward. dedicated, deranged scientists who have lost empathy for the sake of research........... ]
Did you escape?
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anyway she's just frowning because she didn't want an example!! she did not want to see hojo's face!! leave!!!!!]
...Cloud and the others came to get me and we escaped, yeah. We brought Red with us, too. He was another friend Hojo was keeping contained.
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I have met a few like him with similar aspirations. Ambition will... sometimes get you in trouble.
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Sometimes? [dryly. she still looks a little pissed because she's so tired of this weird fucker.] He isn't someone who cares much about consequences so long as he gets the results he wants. Everything is a "fascinating discovery" to him. Something he can experiment with and push to its limits until it no longer serves him.
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It's good you got out.
[ the way war also does not like hojo now. fucking weirdo. insane behavior. couldn't be them.
the shadows come in again. great! great for aerith to have a treat. ]
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a lot happened here? and she's pausing for a long, full moment before she looks at war.
i have to ask, is war still a lot taller than her right now.]
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they stand pretty rigid, straight-back in the way very formal people do. and yes, they are still taller than her right now.
listen. ]
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You may as well stop floating. I don't have expectations for that here.
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[ they
very reluctantly and slowly float down to the ground. the robe is now too long, but it's fine. they are....... not much taller than five-foot-six. ]
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she just wanders a little closer and peers into their face with a little grin.]
That's better. [hehe.] ...they all seem pretty friendly. Did you have a nice dinner with them?
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thank god for the mask. standing stiffly there. ]
It was all right... They are too friendly.
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