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Post by Krakenbox on Jan 12, 2022 20:53:57 GMT -8
Lamassu tilted their head as the Darkling Emerald spoke of fate, having hunted through Skein to flit and do their best. It was quite the drive, despite it all. The raw energy that ripped through their mein wasn't theirs, and only helped highlight the things only the entity could sense and examine as this creation held their innate curiosity and gave them the impulse to unravel. The Mountebanks always were good company for a Riddleseeker's obsessions.
A slow blink pulled them out of layered thoughts as Riley was talking to them directly. "I cannot meet them in a place like this, so this was the alternative. Unfortunately, if I know the Courts; I suspect the second I step out and chatter my intent the righteous Spear will panic and separate Fawkes' head from his shoulders. I need some help and for everyone to keep their heads long enough to save the Freehold from their own toxic paranoia... They loaded you up with something I see! Dame She-Wolf or King Samedi himself looking to test some equipment on the plague bearers?"
Pop.
They clicked their lips as they ran an errant hand through their hair, almost preening with nervous energy as they considered what the Token could do and the potential waste from a short sighted error. Between keeping the Elemental from fracturing, digging through multiple psyches, reworking the speed of his synapses to slow the dream, and keeping two Changelings from their Contract completing, they were getting a little frazzled. "Two codes of unmaking! You're a walking eraser, but not with the lasting design of a Sentry. I am a little annoyed that they chose a Spring courtier, and think King Nohoilpi is still playing games with Winter. He wouldn't have tried this if I was around, I would have bested him for sure."
There was a hanging thread there, where a Lost's instincts sense potential to spin a Promise with the right words of power. The Beastial flex of pride and territory from a friendly rivalry of eldritch chess, rather than the lives that were being played with, was a reminder of what founded Vegas' Freehold.
The entity was already moving on from the nattering, watching a little cousin of Zephyr pick up their host and engage in a query they would be hypocritical to discourage. It was more the frustration of trying to explain spiritual dogma and philosophy to a child. Fawkes was no better, throwing tantrums and not even letting them get a word in edgewise as he refused any inch of reason in the face of bending a little.
Fawkes was trying to hold his own, but Yuan felt the weight of someone who had lost a lot of blood and was tapped out of spirit. He had a hollow look about him that went beyond the absence of glamour, and was just swinging out of sheer spite at this point. Opening his own throat was a last attempt, and without the lock on his hands he would likely busy himself again with a final act of defiance.
"You weren't here before. There was nothing. I probably fixed a lot of problems, to be honest," the former Spring Monarch explained with every inch of confidence of one who used to wield the power to remove madness and cure wounds with a touch. "Just my very presence left a mark, unfortunately, but I've been managing it. My goodness, I don't seek to stay forever."
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Post by Blaze on Jan 15, 2022 15:18:02 GMT -8
Blaze experienced a strange kind of disassociation where she was certain on an intellectual level that she should understand what everyone is saying, but when the Elemental tried to put the words together into actual sentences, nothing came out but gibberish. It was like trying to knead water into shape using only your hands.
"Not that I want you gone... believe me, I'd like nothing more than to have a talk when this is over..." She says, looking at the entity like one would look at something at the same time strange, dangerous and beautiful "But you haven't said how we can assist. I think we can all agree that helping you out is a positive thing, but some direction might be nice?"
Lamassu's mind seems to wander. Maybe it's true what Yuan is implying, that the former Spring Queen is somehow beyond the changeling condition - that she's reached her own pinnacle, much like Nohoilpi reached his. All the more reason to keep her around.
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Oren
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written by Hiver
Posts: 242
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Post by Oren on Jan 17, 2022 6:55:01 GMT -8
"We're very handy! Happy happy happy to help yo--"
There was a mounting excitement, ready to dive into the next spiral, only for it to be cut short with a rather unceremonious pop. As Little Miss Peacock Scissor-Fingers finished digging around his optic nerve, Oren's avatar felt rather solid. This was heart-wrenching. He wanted to float on air...until that worm dug through his skull and did the Macarena on his grey matter.
But another part of him, the one that loathed merriment made by a hand that wasn't his, made itself present. It was the cold floor touched upon waking.
"Wait a sec...you're not Jonny."
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Post by Krakenbox on Jan 17, 2022 9:03:35 GMT -8
Lamassu put a hand on their heart in an exaggerated gesture as Blaze mentioned a continued conversation. "First and foremost, you will need to convince him," they gestured to Fawkes hanging off of Yuan, "That this is an acceptable, temporary measure, or I'm afraid my continued interference is going to dissolve his hold on reality."
"Next, once we're all out and about, I would need to speak with one of my former cohorts to explain my solution. However, as I said I need everyone to be incognito about the whole venture and play along. Convincing stories and all that."
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Riley Sorsa
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Presence (3) Captivating | SL(1) Stylish Mantle (2)Spring | Status(1) Entertainment
Posts: 913
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Jan 17, 2022 10:15:36 GMT -8
The former soverign was an enigma. The darkling's instinct was not to trust an entity like this, more so in the skien. Yet Lamassu had shown a desire to help and action to prove it. So Riley saw no reason to not trust the former sovereign.
The Twilight dancer followed the conversation best they could. Time ebbed and flowed like a snaking river amongst the changelings. Riley didn't fully understand what was happening, but the Moth was caught on the stray thoughts on their condition. Codes of unmaking? What was that, and what did they have to do with the Sentries? Riley mind races trying to put context together to understand the purpose of the Token or how Riley could use it.
Hearing the plan, Riley spoke up.
"Lucas and I can talk to Fawkes; familiar faces would be best. He can be...a challenge." Under normal circumstances, Riley might not be the best person to speak with Fawkes, but this was no ordinary moment.
"I can help you, with your plan to get your message to your...Motley. But I need something in return."
Take the thread and cleft it in twain.
Riley had come this far, to seize fate, to change it. They couldn't be timid. They could not falter.
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Jan 17, 2022 12:11:45 GMT -8
"Fawkes standing right here," Yuan reminded to Riley, his temper a little short. The stress of healing him was like gritty, coarse sand stuck behind his eyeballs and lids. The Darkling was breaching social etiquette by not acknowledging the Elemental's presence and it was unacceptable.
He sot a glance at the man of the hour, gauging his mental state as best he could.
He would have asked Fawkes how he felt about the proposition, but the answer seemed pretty obvious. "If we come to an agreeable resolution, I want insurance that you will not double-cross us. I'd ask you to put Glamour on it, Mx. Lamassu, but I don't think you can do that. We would have to bind your promise ourselves."
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Post by Fawkes on Jan 17, 2022 22:36:11 GMT -8
Riley had ingested something grown and developed in the same fields as the Sentries, and something stolen from the creeping barrage of a war-forge Title Linden had survived with Firebringer and two other Summers. A witch coven had gotten involved, who called the Knight their cousin. The She-Wolf spoke in mad riddles as she conveyed the concept to Riley, and her motleymate Benjamin Murphy's shrugging had not provided much in the way of layman's terms. It was taking the order of things and scrambling them to be rearranged, like a radiation to the structure of DNA—while the Lost maintained the flexible adaptations of their humanity and communal nature, the True Fae were notorious for being set in their ways. The consequence of exposure could potentially collapse a structure, or at least send it into a panicked frenzy in its confusion.
Pop.
"Challenge! He tried to chew through his tongue a few minutes ago," They agreed with Riley, acknowledging a small bubble of frustration. The Lost began to get the picture that the Sunbanisher might be out of glamour because any sort of attempt at conversation immediately resulted in lots of lightning, screaming, and sandstorms. "I suppose, though I don't blame him. The situation is quite extreme...but so is a dream plague.
The Sphinx glanced at Fawkes, holding a patient smile as the Elemental responded by spitting built up blood in his mouth.
The Sandharrowed had a twisted, angry smirk, quietly wheezing a laugh from his damaged voice box as he rubbed his eyes. It was a few seconds of reprieve from the radiating parasite. He rolled his eyes up and away as Yuan spoke, though the movement seemed equal parts to take the measure of the constructed environment and conveying his displeasure. The Beast wasn't used to being in such close proximity to one of the Unbound that had been beaten into a corner, but didn't feel particularly unsafe. Fawkes didn't come off as suicidal from a source of ending pain or removing a burden from the equation, but was acting in a last ditch effort to assert control over his environment. He actually did try to vocalize as the Playmate suggested a pledge of some kind, teeth red and leaking sand instead of words. Fawkes did grip Yuan then with sharp attention of someone who might be thorough about things like pledgesmithing. He seemed more concerned about the rest of them getting out safely.
The Contract flooded Yuan with the context of a passenger and unreal experience, as nerves were severed where your own connection to the real as bottled and removed from feeling. This prolonged conflict, as Cinder had predicted, has eroded a mind that was usually a steel trap.
Lamassu didn't seem bothered by Riley angling for some leverage or Yuan asking for a good and proper Oath, bobbing their head to a silent song as they waited for the request. They seemed amused, even, at what the Changelings would try and spin—just so they could puzzle it out.
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Jan 19, 2022 11:07:05 GMT -8
Yuan's heart broke in front of so much pain. Objectively, it was Fawkes' sanity or the well-being of the entire freehold, but that math didn't check out when confronted with the Torrent's harsh reality.
"Everything is going to be fine. We're here to get you out, remember? You don't have to shoulder this alone." He faced the Sun Banisher sun the most comforting smile he could manage. Yuan was most likely lying, he knew that, but Fawkes deserved a break. He couldn't let this happen. He couldn't let Fawkes go through with this insane plan cobbled together with wishful thinking.
Turning back to look at the dream god, the Beast exhaled slowly to steel his resolve. "Fawkes is in no condition to go through with this. Drive me instead. I may not be as much of a blank slate, but I have pieces missing too. I'm sure you could squeeze in."
The Elemental didn't deserve this - he had ties to the community, a motley. He had an important position. Not Yuan. The Playmate kept his bubbling anger deep within, locked away behind his smile. Anger at this dead king who cared little about others. Anger at what had been done to Fawkes.
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Riley Sorsa
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Presence (3) Captivating | SL(1) Stylish Mantle (2)Spring | Status(1) Entertainment
Posts: 913
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Jan 20, 2022 17:54:49 GMT -8
"Fawkes?" The darkling blinked, confused at Yuan's insistence that he was with them.
Their inky eyes blinked before settling on the Elemental; a mark of confusion struck their face. Was he not on the shore? The bright One's mind spun for a moment.
"Sorry I thou-" they stopped and paused, watching as Yuan tried to negotiate a change of dreams for Lamassu.
"That could give you some relief," Riley said to Fawkes regarding Yuan's suggestion. Before looking to Lamassu and Yuan.
"But I don't know how easily we could follow. Blaze, Oren, and I would need to travel the skein again."
The moth pauses, recalling the serpent. They weren't fond of that idea. Riley gives a sideways glance to Oren and Blaze to see what they felt on that matter.
The Twilight Dancer felt a pull of anxiety in their gut. This conversation was like a dance they didn't know the steps to. Easy to fall out of rhythm, loos their way. They can't afford that.
Lamassu had shown only to be helpful so far. But Fawkes...Fawkes was willing to bite his own tongue and go for himself with a knife to avoid this Entity.
"Yuan could house you, and we could get you to the old Monarchs. But we need proof of your intentions. I mean no disrespect- we have no way to know those worms were not of your making. But, given all that has happened, we have to be cautious" Riley glanced to the others with a slight nod.
"You said you could help with my condition, help me, and then we will aid you in your plan. A show of good faith."
Lamassu had no reason to aid Riley and their curse. In fact, if the Entity was the former Motley mate of the Winter King, acting against him to aid Riley, Lamassu had nothing to earn from that. By the Moths book, that would be a display of Lamassus intentions were not purely selfish.
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Post by Krakenbox on Jan 20, 2022 18:53:38 GMT -8
Lamassu's head cocked as they ran an eye over Yuan, with the same stare that seemed to indicate something deeper was being assessed beyond what was immediately visible.
"You're not solid enough with the Dream," they explained. The inevitable gawk of confusion with his Avatar being the picture of 'solid', They looked upwards to think, flickering back to its animalistic construct without the focus as they circled around Yuan. "Those connected to Arcadia walk between time and reality when they sleep, but some have a stronger base than others. Walking through yours is like thin ice. Flashes of insight causing so much noise and confusion."
The Sphinx's tail flicked with pent up annoyance, popping their lips again as they realized that they were playing into the Elemental's melodrama. Blood and sacrifice were sharp symbols, and they seemed more concerned about the man's feelings than the state of things. This was exactly why they avoided his motley when he complained about an unseen presence, and they indulged him just enough to think he was suffering paranoid delusions again.
"This takes longer than you think." They gestured to the landscape. "A couple of months, at least. I scoped out other temperaments, and I am aware he isn't exactly the easiest profile. Hence my wish for you to convince him. His consciousness will be shielded?" The fact that Fawkes had chosen to bash his head repeatedly against the wall when faced with the ghastly notion of polite conversation wasn't exactly Lamassu's problem.
Fawkes' expression had darkened with the Playmate's offer, eyes watering a bit as he glanced at the Beast before snapping to track the entity. His hand lifted on instinct—for what good it would do—what else were you supposed to do with a giant lion was pacing around an ally?
Riley's request actually brightened Lamassu's mood, "Oh, yes, of course! Before you put any glamour on that-" from what Yuan had said, they wouldn't sense it or be able to stop it, "-Understand that you would need be rearranged, and become something more powerful than the Law of Sacrifice."
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Post by Blaze on Jan 23, 2022 1:03:27 GMT -8
For her part, Blaze was growing increasingly frustrated with what she perceived as dancing around the crux of the issue. None of this talking is getting them anywhere, and as much as she'd like to bask in Lamassu's glow still, the Torrent has enough presence of mind to realize the danger looming outside of this world, and how they need the Spring Queen or Dream Goddess or whoever the fuck Lamassu is right now on their side, stat.
Unfortunately, this leaves precious little time or care to consider the best approach. Assuming a determined frown, Blaze will beeline towards Fawkes unless stopped and address him.
"Listen up soldier." She says in her best drill instructor impression "There's an enemy at the gates and right now you playing ball is key to getting some goddamn firepower on our side. You can't run, not anymore, so for the love of God assert yourself and ride this thing. It is not the way of Winter to hold on to lost causes and right now? This is what 'Preparing Your Farewells' looks like. Adapt and survive, don't let your own stubbornness break you."
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Riley Sorsa
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Presence (3) Captivating | SL(1) Stylish Mantle (2)Spring | Status(1) Entertainment
Posts: 913
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Jan 23, 2022 9:11:00 GMT -8
"Rearranged?" This gave the moth pause.
Change. They had changed before; today alone, they had been rearranged, their mantle shifted into a weapon of destruction. Survival was about change.
Ị̴̚t̷̂̽͜ ̵̣̮̕w̵̦̎̽o̵̦̚ù̷̢l̵̛̺d̷̗̉̀ ̶̬͛b̴̛͍ė̴̢͉ ̵̬̄̊p̴̼͍̓̚a̷̯̓̓ỉ̸̬̝̾n̶̞̋̏f̶͙̂̉ű̶̟̻̽l̶̥̒̍ ̴̢͗́b̵̦̒u̷͚̲͌t̶̰̩̍ ̴̣̿a̴̼̯͒l̸͚̎l̴̪̔ ̸̩̿̑c̵̺̊h̶̼̗̀a̷̳̎͠n̸̳̆͛ǵ̵̺̦e̵̜̹͛̇ ̶̨̳̌w̴̘̓a̶̺̿̔s̴͖̲̈ ̸̯̒p̴͎̠̏̉ȁ̷͍̠͌ì̶̪n̵͉̖̅f̵̢̋̈́ū̶̪̂l̵̜̼̿.̴̥̈́ ̵͖̀ ̵͈̈́
The thought cut like a falling razor through the moth's mind. Their breath shook. Blaze was handling Fawkes; with her and Yuan, they might get the stubborn elemental to give this a shot.
"I cannot place Glamour on it; an oath remains broken. How do you mean rearranged?"
They ask; raising an eyebrow, the darkling took a step closer, pulled by the idea and the possibilities yet unrevealed.
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Hua Yuan
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Presence 2 - Nostalgic; SL 1 - Flawless
Posts: 304
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Post by Hua Yuan on Jan 23, 2022 19:23:31 GMT -8
Nothing. Yuan couldn't figure anything out. The grit had blossomed into a ringing that distorted sound, like a bad drug-induced trip. He was doing his best to focus on one thing at a time but no one would stay in place for long enough. Again, again and again, people were telling him he was found wanting. Not stubborn enough, not straight enough, not 'strong enough in the Dream'. Riley was doing their own thing, seemingly using the opportunity to further their own agenda. Frustration was building up, like a pressure cooker, somewhere deep within. He was about to lose patience, about to-
Blaze moved.
What she said went completely opposite to what Yuan had promised. All burden was shifted back on Fawkes, but the Beast didn't have the energy to speak up. It was all he could do to balance out the lack of serotonin.
Fuck. Get that stupid Party Worm back in me if it means I get to be happy.
"Can you heal your tongue? You looked like you wanted to say something about the potential pledge."
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Post by Fawkes on Jan 23, 2022 20:53:22 GMT -8
Fawkes' attention shifted to Blaze, lacking the usual mechanical click with his human-leaning Avatar. He stiffened a bit with the familiar tone, even managing to avoid the distraction of the secondary conversation that agitated his occult paranoia curiosity. His jaw clenched a bit, but there was a dullness in his eyes to match the pale, sickly pallor of someone who had literally tried everything he could think of. 'Stubbornness' was currently keeping him on his feet as the world spun from blood loss, and he was leaning more on Yuan than he would have liked. It was true that being poked at by another Onyx about duty felt a little more raw than it should have. Having a nerve played on was exactly why they preached Ice Law, and the environment around his feet cracked in angry chiding that this could even happen. While one Freeholder pressed for alternatives that spoke to self preservation, the other cut to the chase and strung out his weakness and fears that was preventing a utilitarian decision. In all honesty, the fact that they were near strangers prevented him from thinking too deeply on potential emotional manipulation—that the Being was just trying to convince him things were going to be fine and dandy, so long as he surrendered to the antithesis of his instincts. The Being was confusing people with its detached sense of time: Fawkes briefly opened his mouth to show Yuan that at most, his tongue was a little swollen—like his fingers being pried by an invisible force to stop him from expanding the lacerations along his jaw and throat, any further damage had been stopped, now that the Being understood his intent. In a personal irony, it was the damage he had done to his throat was preventing communication. Blowing through his glamour meant he couldn't spin so much as a piece of paper to play messenger. He did stumble a bit as he locked onto Riley digging into some kind of pact opportunity, waving a hand as pressures of being the highest Mantle in the situation tweaked civic duties, and things felt like they were falling apart around him the longer he put himself first. He couldn't beat it. Well, he had weathered worst, maybe. It wasn't getting psychically dismantled by Carr, Kai, and Oren for snippets and clues of a Durance. And it wasn't being repeatedly dismantled by his Keeper. More being shelved. In his own body. If it wasn't lying. The Unbound let go of Yuan to rub his arms, trying to get the shivering under control. He stared at Oren for an uncomfortable moment, as if to pull a clue, before gesturing to both Blaze and Yuan to try and indicate...something. He wasn't really sure how to ask other Lost for something that came to him naturally: a crippling depth of mistrust that demanded unknowns be solidified with the safety of the Wyrd.
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Post by Krakenbox on Jan 23, 2022 21:07:43 GMT -8
Lamassu didn't pay heed to Fawkes' anxious gesturing, letting the other two accomplish what they were supposed to as they engaged in something far more stimulating.
Breaking the rules.
They were young and humanoid again as they grinned, stepping close to Riley as if to conspire. They clearly didn't register the taint of an angered Wyrd, and only found crimes against the Fae more appropriate for a budding experiment. "I did something similar to myself, which is why I'm like this now." There was a manic glee to their feline slits, "True conquering of their designs is to step outside of it. I could go on and on, about whether you're truly you or an echo that was split from your Fetch, but that would just drive you crazier. It certainly vexed me, when things stop making sense as you discover all the secrets."
They chuckled, having fun with the simplified explanation as an added layer of complexity. "You are in control, however, with what yourself is. Because it's just a construct. The very thing," their fingers fluttered, not quite touching Riley with the lack of permission. "That's creating a volatile pattern at this time. Your fate was bound to a. Single. Thread. That's a little fucked up, right? And now by your own gambling with Nohoilpi's game, you're looking to split it. One construct remains, but the new echo steps outside for just- outside of time, because there isn't any time either, is there? As you've experienced with your Durance. She knew that too."
Maybe asking Lamassu to explain things wasn't the best idea, but Riley remembered the Norn and her spinning of fate and time.
"I had a framework, but you don't. It's so...brief...but...the material is there all around what the Spirit seeks to consume. You can- you can take that like a cocoon?" They watched to see if the metaphor was reasonable enough to register, "Or I can. I think I really can and that is very, very exciting. I've never considered trying it on someone else."
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