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Entry tags:
- !event,
- arcane: silco,
- arknights: gavial,
- black butler: sebastian michaelis,
- culture (the): demeisen,
- divinity original sin: fane,
- enderal: jade the prophetess,
- expanse (the): amos burton,
- fate grand order: tezcatlipoca,
- fate/: rin tohsaka,
- fate/: sakamoto ryouma,
- fire emblem: shez,
- fire emblem: yuri leclerc,
- forgotten realms: raphael,
- howl's moving castle: howl,
- jinba: hayame,
- legend of zelda (the): link,
- life is strange: chloe price,
- oc: liem talbott,
- oc: matt jamison,
- pumpkin scissors: alice l. malvin,
- suikoden: yuber,
- terra e: tony asuka,
- tsubasa reservoir chronicle: subaru
THE ADVOCATE ORACLE - A RIP VAN WINKLE IN TIME
Sweet dreams are made of Bliss
As the twilight falls, and bearers begin to tuck in for their evenings on the night of the 15th of March (OOC time) and whether they tuck themselves into bed fully, or simply drift away in the middle of their dinner, work, indulgences, or what have you; bearers will fall into a deep, deep sleep. Perhaps you slump in your chair, or you wrap your arms around a teddy bear, or partner, or cup a precious shard in your sleep, it doesn’t matter, because as you drift away, into a sleep that seems to tug you under like the undertow itself, a question will echo in bearer’s minds: “If given the choice, would you show compassion in the face of adversity?”
It sticks with you, even as you fall into a dreamless sleep. As if it rotates in your mind, over and over, letting you worm over that. You know for certain what it is, that it is the calming, soothing voice of the Oracle, reaching out to you across the ether, telling you – promise you – that if you accept its promise, you will find that the Oracle could be in your hands. That thought leads you to dream of something else – of home, or your loved ones – of what you are fighting this war for. Even as you dream, you feel a presence next to you, and unlike the Harbinger’s winding, rough digging, this is more akin to a friend, who is asking you soft, coaxing questions. Things like: what was your childhood like? What were your friends like? What did you do? You cannot help but think of them, think of your home and your loved ones. Of where you came from, and how it made you what you are.
The advocate seeks to understand you, and where you come from. You can feel it, that overwhelming Acceptance and love from it, even as you reminisce, compelled to answer the multitude of questions, you can feel something building behind you, around you. “Don’t you want them all to understand this?” the impression is given through communion, and you cannot help but answer: yes.
It sticks with you, even as you fall into a dreamless sleep. As if it rotates in your mind, over and over, letting you worm over that. You know for certain what it is, that it is the calming, soothing voice of the Oracle, reaching out to you across the ether, telling you – promise you – that if you accept its promise, you will find that the Oracle could be in your hands. That thought leads you to dream of something else – of home, or your loved ones – of what you are fighting this war for. Even as you dream, you feel a presence next to you, and unlike the Harbinger’s winding, rough digging, this is more akin to a friend, who is asking you soft, coaxing questions. Things like: what was your childhood like? What were your friends like? What did you do? You cannot help but think of them, think of your home and your loved ones. Of where you came from, and how it made you what you are.
The advocate seeks to understand you, and where you come from. You can feel it, that overwhelming Acceptance and love from it, even as you reminisce, compelled to answer the multitude of questions, you can feel something building behind you, around you. “Don’t you want them all to understand this?” the impression is given through communion, and you cannot help but answer: yes.
Click your Heels together, Dorothy!
As you awake for the first time, it’s alien, the world that meets you. New smells fill your nostrils, new sights, the gravity is perhaps different than you’ve gotten used to on Kenos, even those slight shifts enough to make the world feel wholly different. You remember the advocate’s words, and it wants you to feel what it feels. Understanding. Compassion, and perhaps there is a sense that doing so would hurt yourself in turn, if you understood too much. That is the advocate’s way, after all, isn’t it?
You feel an inexorable, slight tug in your chest. Something subtle and gentle, the slightest of sensations, that gives you a direction. You know it, your mind only just now comprehending the advocate’s confusing impressions via communion, that there is something of this world’s… Soul/center/heart or whatever word you want to use for it. Something about this world that will help you along your path, and help you with the results you so desire. You know it will not guarantee a victory, but surely it will help. Especially as your numbers dwindle from world to world. You are left with an impression from the Advocate -- if you die, they cannot bring you back. There is apology in this, but alone, one oracle is limited. Only united, can they truly change your fate.
The lingering presence of the advocate starts to fade. You know this is a bearer’s world, if not your own. You look around, to see perhaps a familiar face nearby? Or perhaps you are alone. Does it matter? You know that this place belongs to a bearer, but whether they are a friend or an enemy, one has to begin to determine that. You’ll need your wits, you’ll need your strength and resolve to make it to the end of this, won’t you?
After all, as bearers were recently reminded: this is War. This is not simply the fate of this world, but perhaps all, as it will require you to find the answer to this question. So you start to move, you start to look around, explore, and search. For the soul of each world, for the bearers that lie dreaming within, and your foes that will seek you out. Stay steadfast, for the way out will come, if you make it to the end. The longer you spend in each world, however, the more the shadows look darker, and deeper. Hungrier. The more the spaces seem smaller or compressed. As if there is something gnawing away at the sides, making their way to the heart.
You feel an inexorable, slight tug in your chest. Something subtle and gentle, the slightest of sensations, that gives you a direction. You know it, your mind only just now comprehending the advocate’s confusing impressions via communion, that there is something of this world’s… Soul/center/heart or whatever word you want to use for it. Something about this world that will help you along your path, and help you with the results you so desire. You know it will not guarantee a victory, but surely it will help. Especially as your numbers dwindle from world to world. You are left with an impression from the Advocate -- if you die, they cannot bring you back. There is apology in this, but alone, one oracle is limited. Only united, can they truly change your fate.
The lingering presence of the advocate starts to fade. You know this is a bearer’s world, if not your own. You look around, to see perhaps a familiar face nearby? Or perhaps you are alone. Does it matter? You know that this place belongs to a bearer, but whether they are a friend or an enemy, one has to begin to determine that. You’ll need your wits, you’ll need your strength and resolve to make it to the end of this, won’t you?
After all, as bearers were recently reminded: this is War. This is not simply the fate of this world, but perhaps all, as it will require you to find the answer to this question. So you start to move, you start to look around, explore, and search. For the soul of each world, for the bearers that lie dreaming within, and your foes that will seek you out. Stay steadfast, for the way out will come, if you make it to the end. The longer you spend in each world, however, the more the shadows look darker, and deeper. Hungrier. The more the spaces seem smaller or compressed. As if there is something gnawing away at the sides, making their way to the heart.
Around the world in 60 seconds 12 hours
When you find yourself at the end, when you close your eyes – only a blink, but it hangs, as if the momentary motion is enough to suspend you into a suspended space before. You can see the two options stretched out before you – metaphysically – the impression of it. A long, long shadow cast over one. As if there is a presence hovering over and above, like waiting jaws, ready to strike. In the other, there remains…nothing. It is not pleasant, it is not comforting, it simply… is. A sense that there is now a lack of anything, almost like it had never existed before.
Does this world have value? You can feel the Advocate ask. Do you want to give them a chance to live? Or does should this world cease, is there nothing here to save?
And though you are compelled, required to answer, you know this question for what it is. Short-sighted. Both, in the end, will lead to its destruction, but which will you choose? Will you allow the world to continue, even with that long shadow cast, like a hungry beast with snapping jaws; or will you erase it from existence and spare it that oncoming apocalypse?
Does this world have value? You can feel the Advocate ask. Do you want to give them a chance to live? Or does should this world cease, is there nothing here to save?
And though you are compelled, required to answer, you know this question for what it is. Short-sighted. Both, in the end, will lead to its destruction, but which will you choose? Will you allow the world to continue, even with that long shadow cast, like a hungry beast with snapping jaws; or will you erase it from existence and spare it that oncoming apocalypse?
Catch [???] Winks
The last world’s fate decided, bearers float in an endless sea of stars. You can see them all, spread before you. Intermittently, they wink out, swallowed into the darkness, consumed as the shadows, that inky-black nothingness grows ever-larger. It looks upon you, bearers. It is nothing, but you have its attention, and your blood runs cold, your limbs frozen. You cannot move, you cannot speak, you cannot breathe. You feel it, the power of being drawn into it, like it wants to consume you. Like it knows you.
T̸̢̼̯͓̬̘́̀̋̆͊h̷͔̣̱̝͍̬̣͕̄̂͗̆͒͌͜ͅẹ̶̱̩̅͒̿̇͠ ̵̭̹͇͖̔̀ṃ̸̢̧͙̟̼̜͌͆̍͝͝ͅo̴̟̞̓̆̇̐̆͊̽͆̂̀r̶͈̺̮̠͙̗͌ę̸̤̻̈́͐͂̓̊͐̂͆ ̵̡̛͎̩̳̤͔͚̱̼̆̒̓y̴̺̞̹̺̝̤͂ǫ̷̡̣̱̥͊̈́̓͑̕͘ű̵̼͜͜ ̶̨̨̝̟̘̱͇̲̻̪̊͂̽̈̒͊f̴̱̐͌̌̓̋̔́̀͝i̶͖̤͎̬̝̦͒̂g̸̳̰̟̀̓̽̈́̐h̸̼͍̮͎̊̅͗͊̈͋̽̀͘t̴͔͚́̓,̷̨̧̱̠̙̠̙̱̒̍̽̾ ̷̖̰̼̬̟͐̊̂t̶̖̄͂̅̃̍͐̊̑̅͜͝h̴̢̛͙̪̞̫̝̺̋̅̿͛̇̚͝͝ͅͅȩ̶͉̤͍̠́̈͑̏͋̚͘͝ ̸̢̨̧͚̖̤̪̬̪̀̉̐͗̂͆͑̚̕̚c̴̠̩̳͎̲̪͔̟̈́͂̉͑́l̶̡̲̻̣̘̏́ͅo̶̢̧͔͈̬̳̰͈̝̻͌̋̆̃͒͗̏͘ş̴̪̺̣̥̎̽̿͗̒́͛̕̚̚e̴̺͍̤͖͂̇͑͂̋͂̆̾r̴̨̩̈́͋͠ ̷̧͚̲̩̖̋͒̉́͗y̶̘̖̝̑̈͊ǒ̵͚̽u̵͎͍̇̀̏̊̕͝ŕ̷͎̜̘͙̀̋ ̶͇̲̝̞̖̝̣̘̝̬͋d̷͔͈͔̀̿õ̴̝̯͇̹̘̏͗͜ö̵͚͓͆m̵͉̦̫̥̦̞̫͐̆͐̿͊͒͌͋͜.̷̼͈̻̥̜̾̏͐̾̐͆͘͜
You gasp, as you startle awake, and open your eyes for the first time in a long time.
T̸̢̼̯͓̬̘́̀̋̆͊h̷͔̣̱̝͍̬̣͕̄̂͗̆͒͌͜ͅẹ̶̱̩̅͒̿̇͠ ̵̭̹͇͖̔̀ṃ̸̢̧͙̟̼̜͌͆̍͝͝ͅo̴̟̞̓̆̇̐̆͊̽͆̂̀r̶͈̺̮̠͙̗͌ę̸̤̻̈́͐͂̓̊͐̂͆ ̵̡̛͎̩̳̤͔͚̱̼̆̒̓y̴̺̞̹̺̝̤͂ǫ̷̡̣̱̥͊̈́̓͑̕͘ű̵̼͜͜ ̶̨̨̝̟̘̱͇̲̻̪̊͂̽̈̒͊f̴̱̐͌̌̓̋̔́̀͝i̶͖̤͎̬̝̦͒̂g̸̳̰̟̀̓̽̈́̐h̸̼͍̮͎̊̅͗͊̈͋̽̀͘t̴͔͚́̓,̷̨̧̱̠̙̠̙̱̒̍̽̾ ̷̖̰̼̬̟͐̊̂t̶̖̄͂̅̃̍͐̊̑̅͜͝h̴̢̛͙̪̞̫̝̺̋̅̿͛̇̚͝͝ͅͅȩ̶͉̤͍̠́̈͑̏͋̚͘͝ ̸̢̨̧͚̖̤̪̬̪̀̉̐͗̂͆͑̚̕̚c̴̠̩̳͎̲̪͔̟̈́͂̉͑́l̶̡̲̻̣̘̏́ͅo̶̢̧͔͈̬̳̰͈̝̻͌̋̆̃͒͗̏͘ş̴̪̺̣̥̎̽̿͗̒́͛̕̚̚e̴̺͍̤͖͂̇͑͂̋͂̆̾r̴̨̩̈́͋͠ ̷̧͚̲̩̖̋͒̉́͗y̶̘̖̝̑̈͊ǒ̵͚̽u̵͎͍̇̀̏̊̕͝ŕ̷͎̜̘͙̀̋ ̶͇̲̝̞̖̝̣̘̝̬͋d̷͔͈͔̀̿õ̴̝̯͇̹̘̏͗͜ö̵͚͓͆m̵͉̦̫̥̦̞̫͐̆͐̿͊͒͌͋͜.̷̼͈̻̥̜̾̏͐̾̐͆͘͜
You gasp, as you startle awake, and open your eyes for the first time in a long time.
no subject
[ Dimitri offers a smile and a squeeze of her shoulder. Their new bodies make it slightly awkward, but he does offer her his shoulder to cry on if she wants to let a little bit more of it out. There's something to be said for the catharsis... or at least the relief of pressure. ]
I don't know your reasons behind it, but... if it disturbed you I can understand why. It was a bit sudden.
[ There's no judgement there. Maybe some curiosity, but not a hint of finding her unacceptable for it. ]
We can take a little longer, I think, if you need to. Let's not rush things.
no subject
[So she breathes. Calms her nerves. Her hand rests on the back of her forearm, where the burn scars reach up to her shoulder.]
Sudden, but still pathetic. I see corpses all the damned time, but can't even handle the smell of cooked meat sometimes? Makes my stomach turn. [She pauses, attempting a lighter note:] Doubly so with two stomachs right now. That... probably didn't help.
[These bodies feel strange, especially when she becomes aware from time to time of how the extra parts of her twitch and her tail flicks.]
no subject
[ He smiles a bit sadly. ]
I used to see and hear ghosts. Less, now. Now only in dreams. But... for a long time I talked to the dead. I'm sure the new body doesn't help though, yes.
[ He's happy to sit. To listen. To be ready to support. ]
no subject
Real ones, or the ones in your head? I've had both.
[She chuckles weakly.]
I know what it's like not to be able to escape that shit in your dreams. Seems all of this has kinda been a respite, in a sad way. Haven't felt the need for sleep since it all started.
[Which likely comes to no surprise that she looks like she hadn't slept in decades. Mostly because she more or less hasn't.
[Her gloved fingers clasp around her burnt arm even more, remembering the agony when they had been still fresh. It would be a relief if the fire didn't continue to burn when she closes her eyes.]
no subject
[ But he has no way of knowing - and in the end, does it matter? ]
Do you have trouble sleeping? [ He cocks his head with a slight frown, turning an idea over in his head. ]
...someone gifted me a small charm that helps with that. If you'd like, when we get back, I can loan it to you to see if it helps.
no subject
[To Jade, it really doesn't matter. The way she sees it, reality is just a matter of perspective.
[Much like what they're going through right now.
[What Dimitri offers does pique her curiosity, as Jade casts him a glance, brow raised. And then she makes an effort to crack a smile and a light jab:]
...Mysir Bladdittityblut, are you trying to charm me? [And then she nudges him with her shoulder.] I'm sure those living within my vicinity would appreciate that, so I'll... consider it. I've ways of coping, but they're not always available -- or reliable.
no subject
[ He does not quite correct her on the name. ]
Oh, no I'm just - I'm trying to be helpful, that's all. Seeing someone in distress... or needing help... I suppose it's just a reaction I have.
[ He's a helper. ]
no subject
Y'know, I was trying to make a joke... Guess I should've figured you were the type who'd take things more literally.
[She pauses.]
Hm. But in all seriousness... thank you.
no subject
[ He sounds a touch sheepish. ]
I'm just glad I might be able to help. I... I really do understand what it's like to be plagued by nightmares and to have your waking steps dogged by ghosts. It's... it was a very bad time of my life.
no subject
I know I'm not the only one with problems, but... Sometimes it just helps to know I've got company in some things.
[Even if "some things" happen to be misery.]
It's sad that I almost can't recall a time where it wasn't a problem of mine. Little over a couple decades, maybe.
[If even that. She was troubled even as a small child, no thanks to her unstable home life.]
no subject
[ He acknowledges with a sad nod. ]
I hope yours begins to improve. If you... ever need or would like to discuss it, I'm happy to listen. Even share some of my own experience, if you think it would help.
no subject
Thanks. I... appreciate that.
[She glances over Dimitri, in the direction where the jinba children are still gathered, sounds of their chatter and laughter echo through the trees. They're still a distance away, outside of earshot... But Jade can't help but feel some shame for curling up over here, having a mental breakdown as opposed to being the responsible adult to those kids.]
Maybe later, though. I think we've got enough on our plate at the moment.
no subject
[ Dimitri gives her one more squeeze and then carefully starts to sway to his feet. ]
Shall we get back to them for now?
no subject
Yeah... Yeah, we should.
[Even though she has her own questions -- like what troubed Dimitri so much that he suffered similar troubles as her -- now is neither the time nor place for it.
[Pushing herself onto her feet, Jade staggers a moment, remembering she has four right now... before collecting herself again.]
Thanks, by the way. You seem like a decent person. Those are hard to come by, in my experience.
no subject
[ Well, perhaps not entirely his fault. But he did spend a lot of time killing people. It's something he regrets intensely. Guilt he carries with him - on top of the rest of his trauma. ]
We can speak later, if you like.
no subject
[She wasn't always the rebel with a cause, or a do-gooder who helps people because it's the right thing to do. Since the death of the only friend she had in her country, she wanted to do better -- by him. Because he is dead and she is still here, and that just wasn't fair. No matter how many people she tries to help, it'll never feel like she's balanced the scales for all the shit she's done, but it's... something.
[After getting her bearings on her four feet again, Jade dips her head, her gaze cast down at the strangeness of her body but feeling no sort of attachment to her old one to entirely hate what she is now. And then she nods.]
I... think, I'd like that, yes.
no subject
[ There's a smile, sad and understanding as he figures out his own new body. ]
Until then... I fear we have an Oracle to deal with.
no subject
When. Blazes, it seems like these worlds go on forever...
[As though on cue, one of the jinba children peek out from between some trees, gasping when they finally see their new guests.
["There you are! We were wondering where you two went." the jinba exclaims, before grabbing onto Jade's wrist and pulling her back towards the rest of the village.]
Ah, well, um... Hm.
[At a loss for words, she rubs her face with her free hand again, making sure any signs of her breakdown just moments ago are no longer visible when in the firelight.]
no subject
[ Dimitri reaches down to ruffle the child's hair. ]
But maybe it is time to get back to the others, hmm?
no subject
["Some of the little ones didn't believe me when I told them adults showed up!"
[For a moment, Jade's body goes rigid, before she rests a hand over the top of the girl's head in a sort of "there, there" gesture.]
Hey, it's okay. I just needed a moment. It's been a long day.
[This time, it's the childrens' turn to break out the waterworks, catching Jade off guard for a moment.
["Did you get enough to eat, at least?" asks one of the slightly older jinba.
[Stiffly, Jade nods.] More than enough, thank you.
no subject
[ He's also getting some attention, but he feels as if he ought to encourage Jade a little. He gives Jade another glance and then nods. ]
...we can't stay for long, unfortunately. But we're glad to have been able to see you and give you a little bit of hope.
[ He's a bit sad about that, though. They'll be gone. ]
i had this like half-written and kept forgetting to send it. wups.
["Do you have to go? You can stay and teach us things! Do you know anything about archery?"
[Jade balks, glancing down at her own hands.]
Well, no, but...
["What about hunting? Or games? Adults know all kinds of games, don't they?"
[Her eyes flick towards Dimitri.]
Pfft, yeah... I guess we do.
no subject
[ Or any suitable for children, that is. Like Jade, he feels more than a twinge of regret that he's going to have to leave them here. That they'll have to be on their own all over again. It's hard to let go of that. ]
I don't know archery, but I do know a thing or two about using spears if you have any of those lying about...