cancry | if you desire the world, then come and take it

if you desire the world, then come and take it

[Discordia]

@ wolfsbane
Enough is enough. Who knows how long it's been in that place without a proper meeting. I propose we convene back at the base in Invidia. That'll keep the migraines and getting lost to a minimum, plus whoever the Authority is won't cotton on, I should hope.

[Invidia - Authority's Mansion]

[Wolfsbane is entirely fed up. After a few days in Avaritia (it's longer, but who knows in that place), she sends out the notification and sets up shop in the mansion back in Invidia; not too far a commute for anyone no matter where they are, and plenty of room besides. When the others arrive, she's sitting at the table, eating a plate of steak and lima bean salad. No, she didn't make any for you. Okay, those with good senses can probably smell that there's more in the kitchen, but given where they are, it seemed tacky to offer to share.]

I'm sure we've all at least come up with something by now investigating that tacky tourist trap. Share, will you?

(This is an open mingle log for everyone to share the fruits of their investigations! Have fun... or at least vent your frustrations at Avaritia's economy.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ooh, I wonder if it's still there! [Fortunately, Medic has just enough self-control to not immediately dash off towards the butterfly's last known location in search of Possible Secrets.]

When I found one in the library, it flew away from me when I tried to reach for it at first, but it came over and landed on my hand when I said that I could heal it if I touched it.

So they'll escape if you try to grab them, and they won't respond to the things ordinary butterflies do, but they can be reasoned with like people. Is that what you're saying?

As far as I know, yep! I've only met the one, so this one could be different in some way, but talking to it would probably be worth a try. Especially if we have at least one healer when we find it again!

[SHE VOLUNTEERS, PLEASE give her the knowledge.]

Did it look kind of... damaged, when you saw it? All ragged around the edges?

I believe so. Are they all like that?

The one I saw definitely was, and Chiron said that the one he found was, too. It would explain why offering healing specifically was what got it to come over...

I see. Do you suppose Rei would be able to connect with them more easily, given they belong to her?

It's worth testing! I know that she automatically received the same memory that I got from touching the butterfly when we unlocked the path down to the next layer, so the memories seem to come back to her one way or another...

How fortunate for her. Well, if you're in the casino at some point, look and see if it's still there. I ought to tell you, though, they do take umbrage with people climbing onto the slot machines.

[She sighs, shakes her head slightly, and says, with the level of judgment only someone who has once had to climb up four boxes and a chair to get to a kitchen cabinet can truly achieve:]

Tall people.

[Sometimes people need to climb on your shit, okay. If you don't want them climbing on your stuff, make it shorter.]

...you've done this before, then.

[Medic steeples her hands together in front of her face, closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath.] The average human height is, roughly, five feet and eleven inches.

[She opens her eyes and meets Wolfsbane's gaze, dead serious.]

I'm four foot ten. I have been dead for three full layers of Purgatory now and I have not been able to reach a single kitchen cabinet in any of them without a stepstool.

[She basically has to do kitchen parkour any time she wants a cereal bowl.]

Edited 2021-01-25 06:01 (UTC)

That may be the most understandable thing you've said the entire time we've been here.

[Primly:] I have very strong feelings on the matter.

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emberserker - 2021-01-26 01:58 (UTC) - Expand

... Um...

[ Rei's been sat here quietly listening to all this, and it's only now that she speaks up. ]

If it does turn out to be one of my memories, then... w–would right now really be the right time to go after it?

[Medic blinks, looking confused.] Why wouldn't it be?

Because if it's a bad one or– or if it just throws me off kilter in some way... then I won't be any good to anyone, will I?

Memetic shock has been pretty rough on people before... [Yes, she's invented a medical term for flipping out because you just got a difficult Memoria back.]

But you have no way of knowing what kind of memory it might be! For all we know, it could contain skills or information that turns out to be really useful here.

That's exactly what scares me, though. It could be anything.

[ I could be anything, is the sentence that almost follows but she manages to catch it before it comes out. She has to take a moment to compose herself before she continues. ]

I–I just... I want to know that everyone's okay for now before I go and find whatever it is.

Edited 2021-01-26 20:41 (UTC)

...Would it help if someone else saw the memory first, or is that worse? [What? She's already seen one of Rei's memories and so has Chiron, it's fine. Probably.]

If one of us touched the butterfly first, we could tell you what it was, so you'd be prepared when it eventually came back to you.

(no subject)

phantasmagorial - 2021-01-27 17:09 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

mementomoritz - 2021-01-27 18:59 (UTC) - Expand

What do you mean? Surely you of all people won't have troubles with yours.

[ For a moment, Rei just blinks in surprise but when the words settle she looks a little... hurt, almost. ]

What exactly is that supposed to mean...?

You're well-adjusted, kind, don't appear to be struggling with any dissonance between who you are and who you weren't, which I can't say for most of you.

[Quietly muttering:] The things I've seen about my past kind of explain a lot, honestly...

[Let's be honest, Medic hasn't changed much.]

[ Okay, now she just looks outright baffled. ]

You... really trust me that much?

[ Given Wolfsbane's... everything as a person, this feels like a bit of a revelation. ]

...well. I haven't seen a reason not to, that's all.

[She looks unsettled at Rei's question, but she's been like that all month, really.]

Doesn't everyone?