garregmach | (no subject)

(no subject)

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. ]

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[Certainly! Maybe Flayn can learn about it in a less gruesome way later on. A Death Knight memory will be great instead.]

[Yeah........these two just are not ready for that particular conversation and I'm not gonna force it. But anyway.

Flayn's been trying so, so hard to avoid every single firefly - light - whatever these things happen to be since her first encounter with them. There was too much that could be revealed. Too much that she needed to keep hidden. For her own safety, as well as Seteth's. And while Flayn tried her best, even she knew she was a horrible liar. Some things, when revealed, could not be explained with a nervous laugh and a sloppy misdirect.

So when Edelgard sees her, it's as she's very, very cautiously maneuvering around the floating green lights in the courtyard with all the concentration of a student whittling away at the hardest question on a Master Class exam. It would be comical, honestly, if in her haste to duck into one of the classrooms, she did not wobble and nudge one of the lights despite her efforts.]

Oh-

[Flayn thankfully doesn't fall or hurt herself, but her footing is unsteady as she looks over, seeing a memory of the path to this very courtyard popping up. It was dark, and she, without a care in the world, had been humming softly.

No one is with her. No one, but the large, dark shape that stops in her path.

"Hello? Who is that?"

The figure shifts. It is big, so much bigger than Flayn, all sharp angles and two red, glowing points where eyes would be. She stops short, her body tensing.

"....You."

The Flayn in the present shivers to her core as the Flayn in the memory steps back. "M...Me?"

"You are the one I have sought," The figure says, and reaches out with one large, gauntleted hand. Flayn jerks away, both in person and in the scene before her, but while the real Flayn shuts her eyes and presses her hands over her ears, the fake Flayn is grabbed, powerless even with all of her flailing, and struck on the head before she can make a sound or reach for magic.

The scene fades, but Edelgard can still see Flayn, blocking out what was sure to be her mind's own continuation of the short scene that had played out, shaking so thoroughly that one could mistake her for feeling frigid.]

[Edelgard doesn't wince at the sight of Flayn getting practically clubbed, but it does flip her stomach. What a brute... Surely Hubert could have helped the Death Knight by giving him a sleeping concoction to use on her instead of walloping her.

The Emperor approaches her. A hand gently placed on her shoulder to try and catch her attention.]

It's gone now.

[Flayn doesn't flinch or pull away, but her body does tense under Edelgard's touch. She's expecting more bruises, more needles, more pain and weakness. She expects one long, long night of darkness in that underground chamber, panic rattling in her mind. Who was this masked fiend? Why was he doing this? How...

How did he know?

It takes her a moment to block out the reminders and the phantom aches, and remember that the Death Knight is far and away and gone. That he can't hurt her anymore. He can't.]

...Edelgard.

[The Emperor's name is a breath on her lips.]

Did...when he came for me...the one who gave the order...

[Had it been those puppetmasters who slithered in the dark? Or had it been the bemasked and berobed Flame Emperor before her?]

It was Those Who Slither in the Dark that wished for your blood. The Death Knight's methods, their methods, I never wholly agreed with. It was sickening to work with them, but the Empire did not have the strength alone to stand against the Church.

Even if we were to win, [which she hears doesn't happen from most others] I would not permit them to continue to exist.

[Edelgard's hand falls away from Flayn's shoulder. She cannot muster the will to continue imposing on her like that.]

[She's. Quiet. Taking that in. Of course, Flayn knew of Those Who Slither in the Dark - they were gone by her memories, their dark and strange home utterly decimated. She takes a moment to rub one of her wrists in contemplation.

They really liked drawing blood from that wrist.]

...Well...I suppose if you needed an ally with strength...you picked the right one.

[It's not said with sarcasm or particular malice, but it is a sorrowful, pained sort of admission. Flayn was no fool, even if she didn't know everything about those who had hated and hunted her kind through the centuries.]

Do...do you know what I am, Edelgard?

[A silly question. Flayn knew that Edelgard knew, at least where she's from.]

I have my assumptions. After all... your hair, Seteth's, Rhea's, and the professor's after the incident... they're all similar. I may not be a religious woman, but I do know there is some sort of blood connection. Otherwise they would not have gone to such great lengths to take blood from you.

[After all they had plenty of children to experiment on over the years. There had to be something special about Flayn's blood in order for them to risk so much.

Edelgard is perhaps more willing to accept "child of the goddess" now than before, but even back then "not entirely human" was at the top of the list.]

...Then...are you going to tell the others that I...

[Are you going to reveal her secret?]

What would I have to gain from such a reveal? Truly that knowledge serves best as a trump card, doesn't it? The threat of a reveal more valuable than letting the knowledge become common. What would you do, I wonder, to keep it a secret?

[The true answer is: no. She did not reveal Flayn's secret back in the academy, and she does not intend to do so now. However appearing soft, even in this place, is a frightening concept. She is outnumbered, and with the paltry weapons to wield here? Outmatched. In a conflict here Edelgard would be crushed within the blink of an eye.

To make things smoother for everyone she has decided to (mostly) isolate herself aside from brief encounters, and edged words like these will help her stay that way.]

[She flinches, chastising herself internally. To let her guard down to even bring the topic up like this, to Edelgard of all people...! The rush of fear from even the illusion of the Death Knight must have tripped her up. Oh, if Seteth knew what was happening, he would have a fit...]

...I...

[Her mouth presses into a tight line, and she's shaking, trying not to ball her hands into fists.]

I suppose that...I will have to be sure not to put myself in a position where you would need to reveal it, would I not?

[Flayn knows she can't fight Edelgard - she doesn't want to, for starters, and she's not going to be as physically strong no matter how hard she trains. And she doesn't have anything she can dangle over the other woman's head in return, though even if she did, she'd be loathe to use it. That just wasn't the kind of person Flayn was.]

Yes. If I were you I would take some time to consider my position. Though I would also think of what situations would really warrant the use of such information against you.

[What she hopes to imply with that is that despite the dirt she has on her... really what advantage would it give her in a place like this? There is no ground to gain. No foothold to take.]

[Even without any forseeable advantage, Flayn still swallows down a hard lump in her throat at the prospect of her identity dangling above her head. How helpless she is to leap up and snatch it back, should the need arise.]

Y-Yes...of course. I will do so.

[Only because it is imperative to her survival.]

[Perhaps she should not be so cold to someone so soft and helpless, but Edelgard wishes not to lie. The time for deceit is over. She had revealed her hand years ago in the Holy Tomb. Why should she comfort the girl now with saccharine words that may become lies later should Edelgard find herself in a bind?

Ultimately she views it as a bitter kindness to them both. Rather than foster a sense of camaraderie built on words she has to turn her back on she'll be brutal and honest. Save them both the torment of having to part again should things turn sour. Should Edelgard need to do what she musts to see her goals achieved.]

I suppose now I should take my leave.

[And not force to Flayn to suffer the discomfort of her presence.]

No, that...I shall go.

[This was. She shouldn't have even said anything. No matter her intent, clearly this was the worst avenue of conversation.]

I have caused you enough distress today.

[Edelgard will not argue. Doing so would probably only rile Flayn even more. If she wants the agency of leaving the conversation first, she may have it.]

Very well. Do as you wish.

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