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[starfelled]

A mist settles in over the monastery.

Is it morning? Night? Who can say? Today, the day feels endless. The sun is nowhere to be seen — or had it been at all? Instead, a curious green glow engulfs Garreg Mach, like an eternal twilight settling in. Time seems to be paused almost, though the wildlife in and around the area continues to act as though nothing is wrong. As though this is perfectly normal. As though it is natural for the skies to be dark, with not a single star in sight, and for the sun to be forgotten in the mist that lingers. The paths are at least lit by small orbs of light, fireflies flitting about.

However, should one come into contact with one of those fireflies, a memory of the past will be projected for all in the close vicinity to see. Joyous occasions, tragic events — they don't seem to discern one way or another. Perhaps it would be best to watch your step for now, though.

Of course, after lingering for about a day, the strange ambience will fade into what appears to be a normal night at Garreg Mach. It's as if nothing had happened at all. Did it? Or was it all simply a shared hallucination?

[ ● MEMSHARE POST. Coming into contact with the fireflies will share a memory of your character's with those around them. You can top-level with a memory to start out or have people tag you and determine it then, whatever. I don't make the rules (except I do and I say yolo). Have fun with it!
● Open posts like this one are flipping to a two week schedule instead of a weekly one.
● Because of the above, the last bit is there for people who'd maybe like to play out aftermath threads later on but don't want to wait for a new post or make a new one.
● Settings have been slightly updated. ]

Comments

[starfelled]

[ Needless to say, this turn of events is slightly unsettling to Sothis.

At first, she wasn't too bothered by it. This is how the world looks to her more often than not, after all — ignoring recent events, of course. And then, she slowly realized that she wasn't the only one seeing everything like this. As the (former?) goddess, she should have an explanation for this, but she has nothing to offer, completely at a loss. It's disorienting, to say the least.

Fortunately, because she's noncorporeal, the fireflies simply flit right through her, leaving her own fragmented memories locked away inside.

In the end, all she has to offer is a simple warning to those she passes by: ]

Ah— be careful.


[[ sothis won't be sharing memories, but I am down for others sharing stuff with her! she can be anywhere you want her to be. probably. mostly anywhere. ]]

[1x1]

[ Felix is making his way through the courtyard when the warning is aired. Unsettled, he drops a hand to his sword and spins around in search of the voice’s owner. Nothing could prepare him for the ethereal sight that Sothis makes, floating by the classroom archways. Slowly, he approaches her (somehow managing not to disturb the fireflies flitting about). ]

…You are no child.

[ The words sound idiotic as soon as they’re out of his mouth, but he’s not too embarrassed about it. Sothis is…clearly something other, something he doesn’t understand. The strange state of dress, the elaborate headpiece, the pointed ears, the floating. Good thing that Lysithea is no where to be found; this green-haired girl resembles the ghosts she’s so afraid of. ]

Be careful of what?

[starfelled]

Quite astute.

[ Is that sarcasm? On a normal day, it might be. Today . . . no, today, Sothis is tired, and everything she says is just as tired as well. There's no heat behind it.

She gestures at their surroundings, one hand delicately sweeping through a firefly. ]

Be careful of them.

[1x1]

[ The way that her hand passes through the firefly is…both curious and disturbing. Felix eyes his mistrustfully, unwilling to let his guard down simply because she appears so young. For all he knows, this is a deranged spirit here to lure him into danger. Though…she does seem to be doing the exact opposite. ]

Are they responsible for…?

[ He swallows, recalling what happened to him earlier that day. ]

My memories were…dragged out of me and put on display for others to see.

[starfelled]

It appears that they are.

[ She can't say with absolute certainty, but she can try. At least she can do that much. ]

It would be best to avoid them for now.

[1x1]

[ Nodding, he accordingly steps out of the courtyard and under the archways just outside the classrooms. In the different light, he scrutinizes Sothis openly. ]

What are you?

[starfelled]

That is a rather rude question, is it not?

[ Which is also a deflection, of course, but she doesn't seem too bothered either way. Sothis stares back over at him, concern fading away. ]

[cethflayn]

[grandma

Haha no but really, when Flayn spots Sothis, there's a soft sigh of relief. She'd only seen this ethereal young woman the one time, and yet to see her again made her presence feel all the more real. She comes over, giving the green lights a wary, wide berth.

It makes her path wildly wavering, and it'd be almost funny. Almost.]

I am being as careful as I possibly can be. How are you today? Or...tonight?

[It's so dark, who could say which is which?]

[starfelled]

[ A small smile of amusement crosses Sothis's face at that. Really, did she have to go so far as to weave and practically serpentine her way over? Ridiculous. And yet, she can't help but smile.

Sothis tips her head to the side, glancing upwards. ]

"Today" seems sufficient. I would say I am well, but . . .

[ Her voice trails off and she gestures with one hand. ]

[cethflayn]

[She does if she doesn't want the magic green fireflies of intrusive memory sharing to get her.]

Oh, dear...are they causing you to feel ill? Or have they afflicted you with their tricks as well?

[starfelled]

[ She shakes her head. ]

No, neither of those things. And yet, they are unsettling, to say the least.

[cethflayn]

I see...it is a relief that they do not bother at least one person here directly. Everyone else I have spoken to have had at least one less than ideal encounter with them.

[starfelled]

So it would seem. How very frustrating.

[crimsonflower]

[Just want to double-check you're cool with Sothis seeing Edelgard's BAD MEMORIES and if there's anything I should go light on or skim over/imply instead of describe.]

[starfelled]

[ fly free, friend!! ]

[crimsonflower]

Watch out.

[Instead of yelling out to Sothis, Edelgard simply grabs her by the shoulders and pulls her back against her to avoid one of the... fireflies? Floating lights? that hover around the area. She knows what it's like to have one's memory publicly played out, and so thinking to protect the goddess from this fate she took it upon herself to forcibly move her.

Doesn't work out so well for Edelgard though. One of the little lights drifts landing on her shoulder. It causes the scenery before them to shift and change. A voice comes into focus. First soft and garbled, but slowly gaining clarity as the scene solidifies itself. Before them a young girl with dishwater blonde hair sits in a cell. Her hands are together with her head bowed in prayer. She doesn't look all that clean, but she's kept well nourished for... reasons.

The voice is recognizably a younger version of Edelgard's current voice, but she definitely has more color to her... everything in this past image of her.]

[starfelled]

Do not—

[ be so foolish is what she wants to say; she doesn't have much to worry about herself, since the fireflies can't even touch her.

But the words die out in her throat as the landscape shifts, and she sees that small girl in the cell, praying. Sothis purses her lips, staring over quietly for a long moment. ]

. . . I see.

[crimsonflower]

[Well, even "pulling" Sothis had been a construct of what Edelgard wanted more than what was true. Her hands hover where her shoulders should be, and then clench into fists when she's not corporeal for her to grip correctly.]

Never mind tha—

[Three grown adults in robes and plague doctor masks come down the hall and address the lock on her cell. When the young girl hears them she stands from her kneeling prayer. She bids them to leave, but they pay no mind to what she wants. One mage holds her down. The other steadies her arm out and rolls up the girl's sleeve to expose her skin. Scars from her fingertips to her elbow.

Speaking of which the third mage pulls forth a medical knife and a collection pail. Steadily he slices into her skin. The child screams.]

[starfelled]

[ There are things she still can't recall, things that dwell in a mist in the depths of her heart. And yet, something about their garb deeply troubles her, filling her with a sense of dread.

Of course, the whole part where they then mutilate a child doesn't help matters much, either. ]

. . . We should look away. [ a beat. ] You should not have to experience this again.

[ Because there's no doubt who that girl is in her mind and, therefore, what this is. ]

[azuremoon]

[Though they do not always speak there (Dimitri is actually quite comfortable just having Sothis hover quietly), he frequently sees her in the Knight's hall regardless. It's no surprise that's the first place he goes looking, and Dimitri ignores her warning for now as he approaches, letting out a soft sigh of relief. Once he made the connection between these lights and the ones that typically float around her, he was honestly rather worried...]

I am glad to see you well. How are you? Does this phenomenon affect you at all?

[starfelled]

[ She glances over at him, then shakes her head. ]

No, it does not. They merely go right through me.

[azuremoon]

Thank goodness. I have only ever seen lights like this near you, so...

[...it's pretty stupid to worry about a goddess, isn't it? She can take care of herself! Slightly embarrassed, Dimitri clears his throat.]

Ah, well, anyway — do you have any idea what their purpose is?

[starfelled]

I am afraid I do not.

[ She shakes her head slowly once more, a frown crossing over her face. ]

It is quite vexing, to be frank.

[azuremoon]

That it is. There are far too many memories of mine that I would rather not subject people to. Though —

[Dimitri tilts his head, managing a small smile.]

I suppose if it is you, I do not mind terribly. We are raised to believe that the goddess is always watching. Whether that is true or not, I have had a lifetime to adjust to the thought of it.

[starfelled]

Hmph. The same can be said of most people. Those who wish to relive the past should perhaps re-examine their priorities, quite frankly.

[ Which may sound odd coming from a ghost, but there they are.

She gives him a flat look before letting out a soft chuckle. ]

I cannot say if it is true or not, but I can say that I have little interest in peering in on time since passed in the lives of others.