awashlogs | Into The Forest

[For someone unused to forests, the silence doesn't register Ouni quite as strange as it might for the others—but still, he knows, at least, that it's odd to some degree.

At Dextera's beckoning, Ouni walks over to examine the mirror.

... Hmm.]

Should we destroy it?

[Ouni's solution to most things: kill it.]

[Akira also comes closer to examine the mirror, looking into it curiously, but careful not to get too close. Something about it feels distinctly off, but he can't name what. It seems to be an ordinary mirror, otherwise, but why is it in the middle of the forest?

He doesn't trust this. So when Ouni gives his suggestion, he shrugs, stepping back.]

Might as well see what happens.

["Killing it" isn't always a bad plan.]

Ah—

[ dextera is less stoked about the idea of destroying it—there’s something about shattering his own reflection that doesn’t sit well with him, and he can’t seem to look away from the mirror long enough to not see himself.

he frowns, but the only way he can make his protest known is by vehemently shaking his head. they should just keep going!

won’t the forest be angry, if it’s already blocked them off like this? ]

[NOPE, NOT LISTENING TO DEXTERA. (Sorry, Dextera.)

Which is to say that Dextera's silent protest is too late, as dark markings form over Ouni's skin and swirls of aura appear, like glowing smears of paint in the air.

They move quickly, slicing through the mirror.

...

Well, now they have a broken mirror on their hands, and this probably achieved absolutely nothing else of note.]

[...Well, it was a two-to-one vote.

Akira watches as the curious markings appear over Ouni's skin, and then shatter the mirror. It's a fascinating power, and he'd like to learn more about it, but for now, they still need to figure out what's going on.

He waits a moment, to see if anything will happen, but it doesn't. He looks back at Dextera, trying to be reassuring.]

It's okay. Looks like nothing happened.

[Or at least that's what he thinks, until he turns his head and comes eye to eye with himself - yet another mirror.

For a moment he's mesmerized, but then he breaks away, looking back at the others.]

It's like the tree is covered in them.

[Why did his eyes look so sad?]

[ dextera’s feathers are officially ruffled. the shards of the mirror on the ground reflect his own desperately sad face back at him, and although he turns to face akira when he’s addressed, he quickly realizes that there are many mirrors.

many, many mirrors. an uncountable number, multiplying the trees and themselves and the people beside them, even if there’s just one right here in front. he can see the forest’s reflection. ]

Ggh—

[ he lifts one arm, hiding his eyes from it all. it doesn’t feel right in here. ]

[Well, this isn't disconcerting at all. Still, Ouni's never really been one to hesitate, so he already resumes walking as if nothing's odd.]

No point in sticking around. Let's go.

[Akira's eyes wander around the mirrors - he finds it impossible to keep from looking into them, with the way they cover seemingly every available surface. He doesn't feel right about this, either, but when Ouni starts walking, he only spares at glance at Dextera before following with a nod.

After all, who knows if they'll be able to make their way back now. Sometimes the only way out is forward.

Though he can't help but feel a bit different as he walks. He certainly doesn't feel as confident as he did before, and he doesn't think that's just from confusion over the mirrors.]

[ the longer they walk, the more his chest hurts, like there's a physical pain pressing down on him every time he glances into a mirror. it's obviously from the mirror, too, because every time he sees himself staring back, it's like his own emotions—one emotion—is doubled and pushed between his lungs, cutting his breath short.

in fact, in the silence of the forest, the sound of him struggling for air like he's been wounded is quite obvious. ]

...

[ why does he hurt so much...? ]

[That's some heavy breathing, and Akira can't help but glance over at Dextera occasionally, to see if he's alright. He doesn't look hurt, but he sounds it, and Akira thinks he should really stop and check him over, but...

Every time he turns his head, his eyes catch his own in the mirrors, and they're... they're sad, distraught, nearly brimming with tears, and he has to blink his own eyes when they well up. There's something twisting his stomach, and his chest feels oddly hollow, the way it does when he's about to cry over something.

It's really overwhelming, and Akira finds his worries about his traveling companion beginning to fade in the face of it.]

[ dextera hurts, but it's that hurt that pushes him to check on his companions before anything goes too wrong, too quickly. swallowing past his guilt, he taps akira on the shoulder—seeking his attention, asking him to look at him instead of the mirrors that seem to be playing tricks on them.

they've gone too far into the woods to turn back now, with the reflections obscuring their path, and he has to choose a spot on akira's back to look at. ]

[While Dextera's checking up on Akira—well, it's hard to tell, at first, if there's a change in Ouni. He looks as he usually does, for the most part: something low, burning in his eyes, as he stalks forward. If he cares at all about the state of his companions, it doesn't show.

After all, fury is something of a default state for him nowadays.

It grows, though, like a steadily beating drum. And then, as a wave of frustration surges, the only warning the others get is the return of Ouni's markings and aura—before they slice through the surroundings mirrors, an anger in their movements absent from before.

... Try not to get hit by any flying shards?]

[At the tap on his shoulder, Akira swallowed the lump in his throat and turned back to look at Dextera - and so, didn't know until it was too late that Ouni had suddenly changed.

There's a crash, and the sound of shattering glass, and shards are raining down on them. Without thinking, Akira grabs at Dextera and tries to push him down, underneath his own body, to protect him - whether this is successful or not, he can feel shards of mirror raining down around them, and when he looks down, his own reflection stares back at him from the ground.]

[ and the guilt is building, too—the horrible awareness that he couldn't stop this from happening, or that akira had to protect him, and now there are shards of glass everywhere that suggest he could have intervened earlier to prevent ouni from smashing another mirror. he closes his eyes, pinned underneath akira, and it takes the beat of a deep breath for him to try and pull himself together.

he's so miserable, so heavy with his sin, but he... there must be something he can do. ]

St—

[ stop, he wants to say. this is terrifying. stop breaking things! stop looking so sad! ]

[It's not enough. It's not enough—it'll never be enough, for a moment?

Ouni's breathing is heavy for a moment, before he picks himself up and starts stalking forward. When he speaks, his voice is tight.]

Stay there moping forever, if you want.

[He won't. He won't stay idle, won't be complacent, won't—]

[He's right, Akira knows he's right. He can't just stay here on the ground, he's useless here on the ground, but suddenly getting up feels insurmountable. The lump is back in his throat and he feels an ache in his chest, one that he can't seem to banish.

He forces his eyes back to Dextera's face, and that helps, even if he looks as stricken as Akira does. His limbs feel heavy and his breaths are shaky as he forces himself up to his feet, turning to face Ouni instead.

He means to do something, to help, but instead all that comes out of him is:]

You don't even know if that will help!

[His voice full of more despair than he's ever wanted to show to the world.]

[ everything feels squeezed too tightly in his chest under the painful weight of his guilt. they’re fighting... they’re falling apart because of these mirrors, aren’t they? and dextera can’t make himself stop looking at the trees, even as he tries to stop akira, because he sees his own face, his own hands reaching out to him and that’s all he’s ever wanted, really.

if he could give this place to his reflection, he would. ]

Hh—

[ it’s as high as it is a pained sound, like the rusty hinges of a door blown open by a squall. he’s able to sit up, but nothing feels right to him. nothing but looking at the mirror, which hurts just as much as it helps. the tears are blurring his vision, and he can’t make himself stand. ]

Don’t.

[ it’s not a word so much as it is sound with enough breath behind it to be intelligible, almost, but it rasps at his throat and burns his tongue and he thinks he maybe shouldn’t do that again. ]

[He glances back at them, something blazing his eyes, only reinforced by the markings that adorn his skin.]

Not like anything else is! If you don't like it, then leave!

[He's not going to stop. This is all he has—this anger is all that keeps him going.]

[Unfortunately, Akira doesn't really hear, or at least register, that Dextera tried to say something. He's too overcome with grief, and each shattering mirror only seems to pierce his heart further. His reflection folds into itself in the mirror, trying to hide away from the world, before bursting under the attacks from Ouni.]

We can't leave... what if we're stuck here...?

[It comes out as more of a resigned statement than a question. Akira starts to feel tears track down his cheeks, and can't make a move to stop Ouni's rampage.]

Into The Forest

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