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

I've, um...

[Her voice is very small. She runs her fingers through his hair once more, to shake loose any clinging lingerers.]

I've never... heard it put quite like that. But I... I can't say you're wrong. A lot of people think that, and have told me so since these... bugs started floating around.

[Edelgard now wants to have him hung, most memorably.]

...how does that feel? Ah, let me see if I have a mirror, somewhere...

[ There’s something oddly soothing about having someone else handle his hair. He doesn’t remember what it might have felt like for his parents or brother to have touched it, if they ever did. ]

A mirror isn’t necessary. I trust your judgment.

[ Once she’s done, he’ll reach back to run his fingers through his hair himself. It feels…odd. The new length will take some getting used to. Felix hasn’t worn his hair short since he was a very young child. ]

Others have seen your memories of that wretched man?

Edelgard saw what you did. Dimitri...

[She sighs, the sound stuttering and sad, as she packs the scissors away.]

Dimitri saw what happened after I secretly made friends with a commoner boy, when I was little.

[She offers a weak smile.]

I have more memories of him than not. It kind of... kind of comes with having such a cloistered upbringing, unfortunately.

[ As she puts away the scissors, he idly wonders if there’s a reason why that memory in particular was shown to two different people. It makes sense that a more impactful memory would be projected by the fireflies than a weaker one, but is there significance to why he and Edelgard both saw the memory of her father? ]

I hate to say this, but perhaps your time is best spent inside until we determine what’s happening. These…don’t seem like pleasant memories to be reminded of.

[ The brawling training will have to wait. The training grounds are open to the air, after all, and Bernadetta seems to have especially bad luck with the fireflies. ]

Oh, you don't have to worry about me! Really. It's not like I ever forgot any of that to begin with.

[The saddest part is, she says that as though it's something truly reassuring or comforting.]

That's not the point.

[ With a sigh, he stands up from the bed and begins to pick any stray hairs from the spread that he can find. ]

Bad memories are usually just that – memories. No one should have to relive them like this.

..........

[She's quiet for a long . moment, before hesitantly . speaking . up again.]

So that's... not normal?

[No, babe, that's flashbacking to trauma.]

[ He pauses in his efforts, actually glancing over his shoulder with a furrowed brow to consider her questioningly. Then it dawns on him what she means, and… Well, what does he even say to that? Felix must be one of the, if not the, worst individuals to provide reassurance, comfort, and support. Out of his depth, he deposits the hair in her wastebin and then sits down again by the windows. ]

No. I…I don’t know how many of us could define what’s normal and what’s not – [ all of them have their own problems ] – but that’s not something you should be experiencing. That sounds like the effects of trauma.

[ Which, despite his own trauma, he only knows vaguely from seminars with Professor Manuela and dealing with broken soldiers during the war. ]

Oh.

[She eases down to sit on the bed herself, looking at her clasped hands.]

I-I guess that makes sense. I... at this point, I guess... I'm supposed to start letting go, huh?

[She doesn't want to be a vengeful ghost, after all.]

[ The question, while innocently asked, strikes a painful chord deep within Felix. Not even five years ago, he would have impatiently told her yes, that’s precisely what she should do – as he expected once of Dimitri. But now he understands that he doesn’t understand, that people process grief and trauma differently than he does, that it’s unfair of him to make such hypocritical demands of people when he’s still leveraging Glenn’s death as a weapon against himself. ]

If you’re ready to.

[ Felix folds his arms and turns his head so he can look out the window. ]

It probably won’t be easy. We’re all shaped by our pasts, so we end up carrying it wherever we go. But if you can let go of what happened to you… You’ll feel better for it.

Well... I either have all the time in the world or none at all. I might as well try.

[She squares her shoulders and smiles up at him.]

It's... all over, after all. He can't hurt me ever again.

[ This time, he doesn't mistake the obvious tell. Frowning, he glances askance at her. ]

What do you mean? [ he asks slowly, as if sounding out the words to a question he's not sure he wants the answer to. ]

[She hesitates.]

...the other two of you got... really upset, when I told them.

[ For a moment, he doesn't answer. There's a small, niggling voice in his head, telling him that this isn't any of his business, that he shouldn't get involved. If his counterparts became upset, he shouldn't expect that he'll react any differently. ]

Tell me.

...before I came here, I was—at Gronder. I was overseeing the ballista and—and I got taken down. After the enemy moved in, the entire thing was set aflame around them. And... and me too. I faded out, and woke up here.

[She tugs at one glove, stalling, but eventually has to say:]

I... I'm pretty sure I'm dead, Felix.

Edited 2019-10-29 02:42 (UTC)