Event Twenty-Five.

[awashmods]

I'd like to creep into the wood And see the bonnets blue, And hear the bluebells ringing loud, I wish I could -- don't you?

t's another day, another month, and another time for people to show up in the well. You'd better go rescue them! Never mind the fact that you woke up with a flower in your hands. It's probably fine. Don't mind it at all. It's not like it's hard to ignore a little flower. (At least, not until the effects start to kick in. Better go rescue the people in the well before they do.) Oh, right. Even the people in the well have flowers, so... things are going to be a little ridiculous very quickly, when all of those side effects kick in. Have fun! Welcome to Awash's Twenty-fifth event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post. You are welcome to make your own logs and posts for this event! If there are any questions, please ask them here. Thank you!

Comments

[meridio]

A. Hewwo

[Pray, hope, and don't worry—unless one is standing by the well when a blade comes hurtling out of it; in which case, do worry. Whether the blade strikes the ground or the foot of an unfortunate veteran hoping to help a newcomer, Somnus appears in a flash of blue sparks, connected to the weapon by his grip on its hilt.

A flattened white anemone rests in his other palm. Unsheathing the blade from where it has seated itself, he addresses the nearest passerby:]

Hail, stranger.

B. Your god is in another church

[The letter bids him to head for Bluo, and he intends to go there. Once he makes it to the house, he's out and about within the hour. The church, with its dichotomy of repairs against the parts of it in disrepair, draws his footsteps.

There he sits on the frontmost pew, where he looks down at his upturned hand. The same flower from before is even more crumpled now, unsightly for something of its nature. A thought nags at him and he wonders how the idea came to him in the first place: pass the flower on to wash his hands of its insipid aroma. What does that mean for the one receiving it?]

Pretty words truly are precious.

[Even alone, the insincerity shreds his true words. Or perhaps he's not alone.]

Bluo. Closed to Lan SiZhui.

[By the time Lan SiZhui swings around, Somnus has come and gone, then come back again to settle in the living area. When his gaze falls on the youth, he pauses first.

He needs to watch himself.]

You must have received the selfsame letter.

B

[pyrafect]

[ He'll hear the hand-carved wooden doors to the church open, letting in the fresh air of summer once more, the soft buzz of the town as people fret over their flowers, and the rhythmic steps upon newly polished wood as someone makes their way in. The steps pause only when he speaks, and then they resume, coming closer.

It's odd to see anyone here in the church, for most had left it alone ever since it had revealed a part of its secrets when the key appeared. Yet this place has still remained important to her, and she is still one of the few who continues to work on it as a side project.

Had this man been talking to himself? Musing to himself...?

It may just be her imagination, but he seems... lonely in a way. ]

Especially when spoken by a poet. [ She answers softly, walking around to the front of the pew. Tucked within her glove is white camellia, pristine as the day she had discovered it was there, but carried by that same hand is a small makeshift tool box. She sets it down upon the pulpit ] Playwrights have a way of making speech sound even more [ She waves her hand with the camellia attached to it. ] flowery.

[meridio]

[ Hearing the footfall on the wood flooring, he closes his fingers around the flower. The woman's voice is unfamiliar, and he doesn't recognize her face when he lifts his head to examine her from his seat. Here to fix the church, seems like.

Flowery.

Pretty words are far from precious. They befog the hearts of narrow-minded mortals, distracting them from what truly matters. And yet, what tumbles out of his lips is the opposite. ]

Would that I could as well. Spinning such words has always been a talent of his, not mine.

[pyrafect]

[ Even if he says that he couldn't, he speaks with a dignified tone anyway. That and the way he's dressed causes her to wonder further. A nobleman? A prince?

She inquires not of his status, however. ]

"His"?

b

[deathscyther]

[Waking up with a sprig of lavender clutched in his hand wasn't surprising so much as it was irritating, resulting in a half-asleep annoyed grumble of "what now?" to no one in particular. Duo was somewhat relieved when nothing terrible befell him the moment he swung his legs out of bed and got up, but there was an annoying nagging at the back of his mind that he didn't want to be alone today.

If it was the flower or just his own issues getting to to him he couldn't quite pin down, at least until he realized that he was procrastinating something awful on the tasks he had set before himself late last month.

One of them being attempting to get his newly crafted generator hooked up to a few key places in Chroma, which was a lot of hours of trial and error given how little tech was readily available outside of the magic ink they had all been given recently.

Magic ink that was, of course, already used up and gone.

Still, he got something out of it, and no stupid emotions-altering flower was going to keep him from doing some work. It was nearly physically painful to drag himself out of the house away from Akira, but eventually he did, hauling his tools to the church as that was one of the better known landmarks and where he had been working most recently.

It was a pleasant surprise to see there was actual life inside the walls. It had been mostly left untouched since Zelda had been sent back to her world, but knowing he wouldn't be entirely alone in the building while working was actually a relief.

Stupid flower.

Slightly crushed lavender tossed on top of the small container of tools he was carrying, Duo approached to say hello, only to pause as the man spoke aloud before he could.

That was... odd. Was he talking to himself, or did he hear Duo arrive despite how generally quiet he could be?]

... do pretty words really mean anything, though?

[Might as well keep the conversation going!]

[meridio]

[They don't.

Somnus gives Duo the barest glance. Just another mortal in a mysterious world separate from his own. By now, he's heard enough to have a passable grasp of the overall situation.

Pretty words conceal the difficult choices that must be made, prolonging suffering and inviting short-sighted solutions that often spare only a few. Unchecked, they lead to the downfall of man. Their meaning is one of ruin, and so it's better to say that they have none.]

Those who are chosen to hear them find their hearts uplifted. There is no better meaning than this.

[Despite the optimism behind what he says, his tone is apathetic. He turns his hand over, balling it into a loose fist over the anemone.]

[deathscyther]

[Welcome to Chroma, buddy.

The reply got an eyebrow raised from Duo. There may be truth to that, but the tone made him wonder if the man really believed what he was saying.]

Do you actually believe that? Or are you just saying it because it sounds good?

[He's not sure if there's going to be an answer. Not everyone put up with having holes poked in their statements like that. He shifts the weight of his tools from one hand to the other and moves further in to the church proper, going behind the podium to drag out a wooden crate that looked to be a mess of disassembled lanterns, wires and cords.]

I'm not saying pretty words are a bad thing. You're not wrong; people do find comfort in them. I just find actions get a lot more done, personally.

a

[shizun]

[ Is this person trying to kill me?

Normally, he would have a lot of things to say about that!! But he kind of feels like this is a strike of good luck! Wait, probably not! Is this a new villain that he needs to worry about? He'd really not want something to happen to the town! It's where he lives, okay? Death isn't permanent and he has to come back to it!! He doesn't want it to be smoldering mess, okay!? What the fuck is your deal?! ]

Is it right to greet a stranger so violently?

[meridio]

[ Somnus lowers his blade. Like those down below, this stranger boasts a foreign attire. He has many questions, but he suspects that the biggest ones will have to go unanswered until he finds a familiar face (if he even can).

He opens his mouth with the intention of clarifying what he was doing. ]

I beg your forgiveness.

[ But he's still armed, and that apology doesn't sound sincere at all—because it's not what he meant to say at all. ]

[shizun]

It's all right. Things are happening quite quickly and it can be disorienting.

[ Shen Qingqiu can't say that he even minds the continued hostility. The more the merrier, really!! If he can make himself into a corpse so that Luo Binghe can't kill him, that would be ideal. But at the same time, if he dies before Luo Binghe can kill him, a lot of other people might suffer. He isn't quite sure which scenario he wants most -- of course, wanting the most is mostly like which one will end the least awful!! Both of the scenarios are shit! ]

It seems as though you're having some difficultiies right now, and so I'd be more than happy to help you out.

[ Due to his mind being rattled with flowers and fear, he decides to choose a threat he doesn't know over a threat he does. Look!! When the option is being cut into a human stick or skewered with a lot of swords, he'll choose the latter because at least his body will be whole!! ]

B

[allfornothing]

[ Sidestepping from the sword flying in her direction is easy, and she doesn't even think twice about it.

Watching somebody warp to the sword stuck in the wall is not exactly a shock to her, either.

But then, she's never seen the man who's done it.

Which, considering the limitations of this kind of magic, is enough to put her on high alert. ]

... who're you?

[meridio]

[ Stranger was the incorrect designation, perhaps.

Brief though the appearance of her visage had been through the eyes of the ring, he recognizes her. It's not enough for there to be anything resembling trust in her, so the blade stays in his grip, albeit lowered. He also recognizes that she shouldn't be standing before him, much like he shouldn't be walking among mortals. ]

I am Somnus Lucis Caelum. You may know me as the Founder King.

1/2

[allfornothing]

Well... sh--

[allfornothing]

... Sir. I mean, Sir.

[ She hasn't sworn to him as her king. That much she knows. But, uh.

Nope, her original statement stands. ]

Guess it's easier to move around with warping.

Bluo

[alwaysfacepalming]

[SiZhui had spent a lot of time wandering and exploring rather than heading to his house. But finally he did. As he entered he spotted the other in the living room. He smiled and gave him a bow in greeting]

I did indeed. I am Lan SiZhui. What is your name?

[meridio]

[Such formalities were a part of bygone times for Somnus, who gave a simple nod in return. Even then, he'd never been the most exemplary where his manners had been a concern. Too terse, too stiff despite the way he would lean forward to rest his arms on his lap as he did now. Considering the circumstance, he knew better than to push those qualities and say something foolish.]

Somnus Lucis Caelum.

Whence do you hail?

[alwaysfacepalming]

[It's polite enough. He's just very formal. There were plenty of seniors and sect leaders who were harsh to others especially juniors]

It's nice to meet you.

I am from the GusuLan region, in the Cloud Recesses. And you?

HEWWO

[nascere]

[ whoa, there -- !!

it doesn't escape noctis' notice that that was the exact same way he had burst out of the well, complete with the same flash of blue sparks, the pulse of familiar magic that makes him blink, startled by the crackle of it.

the blade is familiar to him, too, the make and shape of it; the sword sings to him, even when gripped by another, and he aborts the instinct to reach for it. no, it doesn't belong to noctis -- well, not yet, and his eyes flicker up to its owner in an odd mix of surprise, confusion, and disbelief. then again, what is there to disbelieve? he's already pretty sure that ardyn is his disgraced ancestor, the rotten part of the family tree, although at this point he's starting to think that the rot started with the planters themselves, but whatever.

the important thing is, he's pretty sure that the person that just came out of the well is related to him the same way ardyn is, if the sword's any indication. dark hair, midnight blue eyes, and most tellingly, as if he'd just stepped out of one of the many royal portraits within the citadel, or alternatively, sculpture made flesh.

noctis stares for a long moment, wide-eyed and at a loss for what to say. finally, something clicks, connects brain to mouth and he intelligently goes: ]

Uh.

[ hail? who talks like that? why is 'uh' the first word out of his mouth when he's face to face with someone he's 90% sure is his ancestor? ]

Somnus?

[meridio]

[ this one is no stranger, either. somnus all but freezes at the sight of noctis, his expression carrying a modicum of surprise. it had been his hope that he would find noctis—or someone else in particular—here. after all, the last thing he remembers is receiving the beating of a millennia. but what's strange is the face before him, clean-shaven and young like the past ten years had been done away with in the blink of an eye.

not to mention the undignified greeting, so unlike how they'd parted.

the situation is alarming enough that he holds onto his blade, yet he has the sense to keep it pointed away from them both. moments prior, he hadn't been in his right mind. now that he is, he desires answers. ]

Well-kempt, Chosen King.

[ he scowls. this is not untrue, but it is definitely not an observation ever worth voicing. and because he meant to ask a serious question, the forced compliment falls flat and renders the breath he spent utterly wasted. ]

a

[queenofminiskirts]

[Kaoru blinks, having watched the blade hit the ground and...were those sparks? Whoa!

She claps.]

That was cool! How did you do that? What kind of weapon is that?

[meridio]

You witness the god-given power of kings.

[As for the weapon, he brings the blade to his side.]

I do not come to this place by the gods' will. Are you responsible for my summoning?

b

[parakalein]

Never liked pretty words.

[ keith comments, he'd turned up nearby with his wolf as a part of his errands. in the absence of having anyone else in the vicinity, he assumes this guy is speaking to him. possibly. he's an unfamiliar face -- ]

You new here?

[meridio]

[ somnus looks over his shoulder. another inhabitant of chroma, and one with a companion. judging from the question, they've been around long enough to notice which face is familiar and which isn't.

he might have liked pretty words, once. nowadays, they mean little to him as well. ]

I arrived earlier this morning.

[ his sandals have yet to dry, but they're not so damp that he's leaving a trail of wet footprints in his wake. ]

You, however, must have been here a while.

b - SORRY THIS IS LATE! i thought i'd hit this ljhskajhgn

[scourged]

[ Ardyn can barely believe it. Sure it's that time when all the new people start arriving from the well like some kind of terrible sport, but when he's spotted Somnus of all people warp striking out of it the shell of a man wonders if it's possible to just drop dead from annoyance. Perhaps exasperation would finish him off? Regardless the response to seeing his younger brother just coming out of the well like it's no big deal gives Ardyn such a knee jerk reaction that it's difficult to stay his own hand and not make a noise. A fight right now won't do anything, even if the words "understanding not forgiveness" are all but ringing in Ardyn's ears right now.

No, he has to see what's going on first. Diving into battle without information, no matter how satisfying and gratuitous it would be, will not be on the cards and Ardyn opts to just follow, silently and wordlessly seething. Any of his so-called "friends" in this place would be shocked at the expression Ardyn wears, a savage mixture of bitterness and fury that slashes a scowl across his face. It's far removed from the weird but "harmless" persona he's worn so far.

Soon enough he arrives at the church in time to hear the words spoken and just the tone has Ardyn's hackles rising. How dare he.]

That would depend on who speaks them.

[ Despite everything, Ardyn's tone is nothing but the usual, almost singsong-like smug one he always uses.]

hello, handsome _へ__(‾◡◝ )>

[meridio]

[ "You should know Ardyn's here, too."

Noctis had warned him. Knowing that there's nothing he can do to change anything, Somnus had opted to let sleeping dogs lie. Still, something in him lurches upon hearing Ardyn's voice behind him. Slowly, he rises and turns around, calling for his brother as he rounds the pew. ]

Adagium—

[ He freezes mid step, stupefied, before he shoots a glance down at the anemone. ]