garregmach | (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. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[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.]

[ fly free, friend!! ]

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.]

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.

[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.]

[ 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. ]

Th— there's no need. After all... I've already gotten over this.

[No she hasn't. The wound is still fresh after all these years. It has festered within her like an infection that has her mind and body wild and feverish for "medicine". And she views her cure as the removal of what made her sick in the beginning.]

You need not try putting on a brave face in front of me, little one.

[ She knows, seeing this, seeing her. She wishes she didn't — intrusive as it is for them, inconvenient as it is for her — but she does.

(inconvenient, to be reminded that even the former goddess has a heart beating deep within, even if it's merely theoretical at this point.)

The sympathy lingers on her face for only a moment before she lifts her head, looking back over. ]

But if you wish for me to look on, then I shall.

[ If someone must bear witness to the atrocities committed upon that young girl however long ago, then she will. At least she can do that much. ]

It hardly matters. The young girl in this scene died not too many days after this. She was replaced by... something else.

[Perhaps she should say "someone" but Edelgard is more than just a person now. She's a symbol. Hope and Rebellion for some, Rage and Slaughter for others. She's a force not to be burdened with the usual pitfalls of friendship, love, or self indulgence.

The mages fill the bucket with as much as they need. One starts bandaging her while the other applies a simple heal. The third leaves with the container of blood. The scene starts to fade.

Secretly, in her heart of hearts, she's glad Sothis is seeing this. As the one person she called out to again and again... at least someone can acknowledge it. She doesn't feel like her past was violated or her privacy invaded. No, she feels this is right.]

[ Funny, how that remark puts so many things into focus.

So that's how it is with her. To protect herself and move forward, she'd carve out her very own heart in a manner of speaking. Sothis would expect no less from someone who seemed to have quite lofty goals — based on how everyone else speaks of her, based on her own assessment, based on a gut feeling.

Then again, perhaps she didn't have a choice in the matter; her heart was carved out for her, and she simply chose to replace it with a fire that wouldn't die.

She can respect that. ]

She may have died, but her memory lives on.

[ A quiet statement, almost curious in a way. ]

I suppose it does. Thank you for not looking away, Sothis.

[It means a lot. More than she can comprehend right now. In fact at the moment if feels as if nothing has changed, but... it will sink in later. Just how important this is. Even if she cannot reach out to the goddess... this is enough.]

Hmm.

[ It feels too little, too late. It's not that she feels guilty for that child's plight — how could she know? How would any of that had been her fault, when the ones to blame were there in plain sight? — but a pang of sadness tugs at her all the same.

The "goddess." What a farce. ]

You must take care while these things linger, Edelgard.

I appreciate your concern. Perhaps I will find a place to be alone. That might be safest.

[Because even if she's careful someone else might not be. She's not keen on trying to bond over someone else's memories after all. Why get attached to someone you may have to kill later?]

Yes, perhaps. I would imagine that most here will feel the same, quite frankly.

[ Who would want to share memories like that with anyone? She can't think of anyone, certainly. ]

Well then, I shall take my leave. Thank you for your time today.

[And this time, when she bids her farewell, Edelgard bows. A respectful dip showing her gratitude that Sothis did no shy away. That she accepted it.]

Take care, Edelgard.

[ And despite everything about her, there's something almost sincere in Sothis's voice. Almost.

Instead, she nods, turning away to go about her business. ]