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

[parakalein]

Yeah, I think so. I found him as a cub, while I was on the back of a space whale.

[ kosmo's friendly! gently bumping a wet nose against his knuckles, tail slowly wagging. ]

Don't worry, he doesn't bite. [ at least, not much. ] You have pets of your own?

[meridio]

[ kosmo's friendly! somnus is not.

to his credit, he turns his hand so that his knuckles brush against that nose. it's the closest to petting that kosmos will get.

. . . space whale. ]

Never.

[parakalein]

[ aw, somnus. it's okay, kosmo's pleased with that little gesture! but he's a polite wolf, so he gives that a lick! keith nods briefly, taking it in stride. ]

I think he likes you. Anyway, I'm Keith.

[meridio]

[ he cranes his neck to glance at keith before turning back to kosmo. but he just sits there, watching, mindful of the balled up flower in his left hand. it's been too long since he interacted with an animal.

it's been even longer since he's had to introduce himself to so many people. ]

I am Somnus Lucis Caelum.

The whale you spoke of earlier . . . it exists in space?

[parakalein]

[ well, kosmo can totally change that. he likes it when he gets treats, somnus. and pets. and head scritches. he has a doggy list.

in the meantime, keith is acknowledging both that name and question: ]

Yeah. Those things are the size of a dwarf planet, and they're capable of sustaining human life. Have you ever been to space?

[meridio]

[ he has no treats, and his left hand is preoccupied with the flower. his right hand? it is simply not built for giving scratches to dogs; it exists to be draped over his knee like a dead fish. better luck next time, kosmo. ]

I have heard tales, but my place has lain ever beneath the stars. Does yours go beyond?

[parakalein]

Far, far beyond.

[ keith doesn't tease him for the fact that he hasn't travelled beyond the confines of his planet -- different people have different destinies. ]

There's a place where time folds into itself, among the many, many galaxies and star systems. [ He pauses. ] I'm a Paladin of Voltron, and I -- uh, pilot the Black Lion. Have you ever heard of it?

[meridio]

Not ever. A ship of yours?

[ he knows what a lion is. common sense reasons that it's a name for something else if keith pilots it in space. ]

[parakalein]

Not technically a ship. A... uh. Lion. Cosmic lion?

[ you know, he never really had to think about how to put it before. he pauses, then decides to change the subject. ] So what about you? What do you do?

[meridio]

[ one does not pilot a lion. ]

I was a king. [ he straightens. ] Of a kingdom that has since passed down to my descendants.

[parakalein]

Oh.

[ keith blinks at that, surprised by what he's saying -- someone who was once a king, and now that's passed down to be descendants. he's seen a lot in his vocation as a paladin, but this one's relatively new. ]

And what are you, now?

[meridio]

[ nothing more than a spirit.

it doesn't come out of him so eloquently. ]

I've been dead for some time.

[parakalein]

[ okay, so. dead. there's a flicker of surprise in keith's eyes, but he gives him a swift once-over, because he damn sure doesn't look like a ghost. ]

They took you when you were dead?

[meridio]

[ nor does he feel like one. somnus looks down at his hands, made of flesh and bones. he still wonders who exactly they are, to have been capable of something like this. ]

Such is the extent of their power.

[parakalein]

Pretty much, yeah. But I think these beings, whoever they are, they live outside of time.

[ keith tells him blandly, because once you've been to the quantum abyss, your understanding about space-time changes. everything changes. but somnus is fascinating; it's the first he's ever heard of, whoever it is in charge of this place plucking someone from the afterlife. or the dead. ]

A lot of the people here aren't from the same worlds.

[meridio]

[ countless worlds must exist beyond his own. considering that, it's a near miracle how many of the significant players from eos have appeared here. more importantly, why? ]

By what measure do they choose who awakens here?

[parakalein]

Nobody's figuring that out yet.

[ frank and honest. keith runs a hand through his hair, contemplating that question. ]

But the thing is, it won't let you go home until it decides to do so.

[ Some kind of god, maybe? ]

[meridio]

[ this doesn't strike somnus as news, who replies coolly: ]

Those of us here were called upon to fulfill a task. It would be stranger to release us before the completion of our given objective.

[parakalein]

[ ...okay, so, he has a point. but the whole believing that they're put here for a reason is not something he takes to, naturally. ]

Exploiting, you mean.

[meridio]

I suppose there's a difference.

[ although the flower speaks for him now, he's acutely aware that he felt this way sometime in the past. ]

Do you mean to defy them?

[parakalein]

It depends on what they want. Right now, it seems like all they want is us to do things to restore color to the town.

[ keith's not the type to follow anyone's directions when it doesn't make sense, but if he can help, why not? ]

Although the quests seem more and more morbid. You?

[meridio]

[ kill someone, was it? he cocks his head to the side, and it's a very noncommittal answer. ]

They possess the power to resurrect the dead from different worlds. What meaning does death have here?

[parakalein]

I don't know. Haven't personally tried.

[ maybe it's permanent, maybe it isn't. ] Are you asking if you can die again?

[meridio]

Perhaps.

[ there are lives more important than his here. he asks for them. ]

If those who die are returned to life later, the quest's price is no longer so steep.

[parakalein]

[ ...okay, so. this looks like it'll escalate quickly...? ]

You want to kill someone?