Tabula Rasa Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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tabularasa_rp2021-01-15 08:51 pm
tabularasa_mods) wrote in tabularasa_rp2021-01-15 08:51 pm
Entry tags:
- *game event,
- *ley line,
- *mingle,
- *open,
- 2064 rom: turing,
- ffvii remake: tifa lockhart,
- ffviii: rinoa heartilly,
- genshin impact: venti,
- haikyuu!!: shouyou hinata,
- kid icarus uprising: viridi,
- persona 5: goro akechi,
- persona 5: haru okumura,
- persona 5: kasumi yoshizawa,
- persona 5: ren amamiya,
- pokémon: raihan,
- touhou project: parsee mizuhashi,
- watch_dogs: damien brenks,
- xxxholic: kimihiro watanuki
006 - Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives
Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives
New Imprints ▲ CommentsIt begins unremarkably enough, with the light tremors of the ground so small they might easily go unnoticed, or else dismissed as the movement of some creature nearby. As time goes on, however, those little tremors begin to grow in both strength and duration, the length of time shortening between each one. To begin with only small, light, unsecured objects are rattled loose by the rumbling of the ground, but as the tremors grow in strength there is a growing danger of much larger things being moved.
The realm’s clear lack of understanding of how things work cannot be relied upon in such a situation. If the tremors have grown strong enough to throw all the books of Hammerhead to the ground and throw over all the clothes rails and capsule machines and furniture in the Academy, then what if they grow strong enough to move the heavy blanket of snow atop Mount Silver? What if they grow strong enough to damage the caverns within?
Then there is the question of how, or why, the realm has made the land shake. It must surely have picked up the idea of an earthquake from someone, right? An answer to the question is not immediately forthcoming, but should one stay low to the ground and listen, they might well hear the muffled, distorted sound of screaming.
Creature Chaos
As the rumbling and shaking continues, it is clear to see that the local wildlife has been disturbed, and they seem remarkably active. Critters can be seen running and flying to and fro, and any who go out to investigate may find themselves the center of attention. Brushboys may paint arrows on the ground in an effort to lead them somewhere, or bluurgobos might actively offer rides, or the flying cat-like creatures will excitedly circle someone before attempting to lead them somewhere. Going along with them will lead to one of two places:
- The meaty, pulsating, cavernous tunnels of Mementos shudder and convulse in a way quite unlike before, and closer inspection will quickly reveal why. The flesh has been cut and torn, hacked apart, leaving gaping and bleeding wounds to spill over the subway tracks. Whichever critter has brought someone here excitedly gestures towards the wounds, and as it does a giant and painful shudder goes through the tunnels and shakes the earth. All those earthquakes… could this be the source?
- The road to the Hammerlocke Citadel Ruins are as long as winding as ever, and precarious with the risk of an earthquake dislodging snow and rock from the mountainside. The animal that has taken the lead is on a mission, however, as unclear as that mission might be. On arriving, it turns its attention to a group of the spiky, bear-headed beasts that are lazing about as though the land is not currently shaking and quaking around them, and tries to draw their attention. Clearly, these bear heads are expected to do something, and they aren’t doing it.
Though the tremors have finally stopped, they have left a significant change to the World in their wake. Where the ground above was once flat and untouched, there now lay cracks and fissures that glow with a strange, but enchantingly warm light. There doesn’t seem to be a single area that has been left untouched by them - though the number of cracks are denser in some places than others, it’s difficult to find a place completely devoid of them. Could this be the world’s attempt at trying to heal itself?
If all of that wasn’t enough to warrant investigation, the sound of whispers that appear to be coming from they might do the trick. Upon closer inspection, however, it becomes apparent that the whispers aren’t coming from the lights, but from inside your own head. Focus a little more, and some of the voices may sound familiar…
no subject
You are hurt.
[Regardless of how Akechi takes Cole's sudden presence, he reaches into the plastic bag he carries around to feed the wildlife with, but rather than pull out bits of mushroom, it's one of the elfroot-like plants.]
This can help.
no subject
[Akechi hadn't brought his briefcase into Mementos, but he did stuff his pockets with bandages. He's in the middle of unfurling a roll of them before Cole offers the plant, and for a moment, he just stares at it, nonplussed.]
And what, exactly, am I supposed to do with that?
[This isn't the Metaverse. He can't just eat random things to get healed!]
no subject
[It's not an accusation, just a simple statement of fact. There's not really much nuance that needs to be understood here to know that he's not fine in his current state.]
[And he knows enough about Akechi to understand that he would lie about this.]
If you eat the leaves or use them on your wounds, it will help with healing and make the pain go away. I've used it here to make sure it's the same, so I know it works.
no subject
[He stares at Cole a few moments longer before finally reaching out to take the offered leaves. The notion of accepting help is almost as foreign as it being offered, but he's not stubborn enough to turn down an offer of medicine.]
Fine. Just eat them?
[He balls it into one hand and shoves it into his mouth. After a few chews, he tucks it into his cheek to ask bluntly,] You're not going to ask how I got hurt?
no subject
[Whatever that means. He doesn't put the plant away just yet in case he needs any more of the leaves.]
[He watches Akechi for a moment.]
Did you hurt anyone?
no subject
[Sure. Why not. And, oddly enough, it does seem to be working, the more he chews and finally swallows the odd-tasting leaves. It's not unlike eating something in the Metaverse, as much as he's loathe to admit it, and in short order he can breathe more easily.
He doesn't answer Cole's question immediately, which honestly is its own kind of answer. Instead, he just meets his eyes, studying the other boy's posture, wondering if he'll come for him with those daggers. Foolish to heal someone you want to hurt, he thinks, scowling briefly as he shrugs.]
Hard to say. Would you consider a lumberjack cutting down a tree to be hurting the tree?
no subject
I don't want to hurt you. You were cutting down trees?
[Look, you said it, not him.]
no subject
[He runs his tongue over his teeth, making sure there aren't any leaf bits in between. Gross. He meets Cole's eyes and elects to tell him the truth. Cole, of all people, will likely figure it out anyway, with how often he's seen Akechi's sword in action.]
I was cutting apart the underground tunnels.
[Which eventually started to scream and then viscerally hurled him back out again. You know. Normal stuff.]
no subject
Why?
no subject
As to the "why..." that's a more complicated answer than it seems, and Akechi makes a conscious effort not to project his thoughts into the ley line. They're dark, violent thoughts, and would absolutely obliterate the nice image he'd been cultivating for several months.]
I wanted a more efficient path through the maze.
[Which isn't entirely a lie; that was a welcome side-effect. No, the real reason is that the only way he knows how to cope with emotions, positive or negative, is violence, and it simply seemed like the easiest way to do so.]
no subject
Did the tunnels cut you back?
[As far as he knows, the non-nightmare version of that place doesn't try to hurt anyone. If that's changed, he really doesn't like that.]
no subject
[He hisses through his teeth with annoyance. Very inconsiderate of Meatmentos, really.]
The tunnels convulsed and forced me out. I emerged to see this large fissure, [he gestures back the way he'd originally come,] and if they truly are means of communication, I heard through them that Raihan-san saw them spread across the known areas. I assume the two are connected.
no subject
I don't know how real the tunnels are, or if that has to do with why the world shook and cracked. But it was real enough to hurt you back. You should stop.
no subject
[Absolutely not, echoes in the leyline.]
This is the first time we've seen an immediate reaction to something we've done. There's something underground that doesn't want me to see it. I fully intend to go back down there.
no subject
How do you know?
no subject
[He tries to wipe away some of the blood on his face with a still-bloody sleeve (his own, or Mementos'? Who knows) and only succeeds in smearing it. An annoyed click of his tongue, then he continues,] However, it's odd that the tunnels would react this way as something screamed and the world started suffering from earthquakes, no?
I'll need to test it further. It's possible this is our way to escape.
no subject
[That's right, most people here want to leave. Which he understands a little better now at least, though being here is still acceptable so long as he can keep helping.]
If you think that escape lies that way, then I can help.
[Is that the right choice? He can't be sure, but he is sure that he can help the people here, while the "world" itself has neither asked for nor offered help. So far it has only reached out to hurt.]
no subject
Akechi's brow furrows as he looks at the other boy. It's not like he's not used to Cole's constant offers of help, odd as they are. It's that he's still willing to offer him aid, even after what Akechi had just potentially done to the world they're forced to call home.]
Something was screaming, [he points out, meeting Cole's eyes levelly.] You're willing to hurt whoever or whatever it is, if it means finding a way out?
no subject
I heard the screams, but I can't hear anything more, to know why. It could be because of pain you caused, or an echo of pain already passed, or maybe it wasn't the world. Something we can't see or feel.
[His initial theories were never really proven or disproven, but he's still inclined to believe something is behind the way this world works, whether or not it's entirely sentient. Like a spirit that has never seen what it's like outside the Fade.]
I could be hurting the world if I help you. But the world, or something hidden inside it, has hurt you and everyone else. Finding a way to leave would help everyone. And if the screams are from more than just hurt, hoping for help, I want to find that, too.
[He tilts his head toward Akechi.]
What about you? You're alive here when you weren't before. Do you think it will stay that way if you leave?