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sticksandbones2024-02-17 08:11 pm
sticksandbonesmods) wrote in sticksandbones2024-02-17 08:11 pm
Entry tags:
MATTERS OF THE HEART
Who: Livio, Wolfwood, Elsword, Mizuki, Add, Heimr
What: heimrquest
When: several days after the bar is built, late in the evening
Where: ???????
Warnings: mentioned child death, mentions of plague, paranoia, supernatural-driven insanity, survivor's guilt, death, possession, impersonation, body horror. more will be added as needed.
The General Store isn't always the most bustling place, least of all in a small make-shift town of only a handful of people, each one more troubled than the last. But at some point, each and every one of you has needed something from Heimr today. Maybe it was just a bag of candy. Maybe it was something more pressing, or some groceries. Regardless, one by one he's tended to your needs, and you leave the store with little fanfare save for the fact that it's unusually foggy out this evening- not enough that you can't see other buildings...
Until you can't.
All around you is a heavy mist, and the scent of a wood fire and warm spices floats through the air. There's no turning back, so all you can do is move forward.
On an OOC note, the Choose Your Own Adventure threads will eventually merge into one group thread. Once this occurs, mod tags will occur after each involved character has tagged, or after 24 hours have passed. That said, if it looks like good banter or development is happening, the Mod will hold off a bit or until dramatic irony strikes.
What: heimrquest
When: several days after the bar is built, late in the evening
Where: ???????
Warnings: mentioned child death, mentions of plague, paranoia, supernatural-driven insanity, survivor's guilt, death, possession, impersonation, body horror. more will be added as needed.
The General Store isn't always the most bustling place, least of all in a small make-shift town of only a handful of people, each one more troubled than the last. But at some point, each and every one of you has needed something from Heimr today. Maybe it was just a bag of candy. Maybe it was something more pressing, or some groceries. Regardless, one by one he's tended to your needs, and you leave the store with little fanfare save for the fact that it's unusually foggy out this evening- not enough that you can't see other buildings...
Until you can't.
All around you is a heavy mist, and the scent of a wood fire and warm spices floats through the air. There's no turning back, so all you can do is move forward.
On an OOC note, the Choose Your Own Adventure threads will eventually merge into one group thread. Once this occurs, mod tags will occur after each involved character has tagged, or after 24 hours have passed. That said, if it looks like good banter or development is happening, the Mod will hold off a bit or until dramatic irony strikes.
no subject
... well, up until the threats start escalating. The rational part of Add's brain says he should stay put and let this memory play out and not draw attention to himself, but the recklessly stupid part of his brain wants to jump in and intercept right away. He settles on a compromise, shooting Heimr a concerned look while Dynamo maneuvers itself between them and "Elijah"—not quite in obvious view, but if things get any worse, he can try? To stop it? He is going to try even if Heimr tells him not to.
no subject
"What IS this?! More of your tricks?"
Heimr glances back for a moment, and then forward once more.
"It ain't nothin' you need to concern yourself. You don't even need to gloat. It's over."
"Elijah" snarls- and Heimr simply turns around, still keeping Add shielded, and starts to walk away.
It would be nice if this is how it really went. But little changes let little miracles of strength happen.
no subject
he can't. not again, never again, no matter how much this thing terrifies him—
He stubbornly wants to dig in his heels, to prove something stupid to this ghost of a memory... but Heimr turns around, his back to the enemy (don't do that, that's tactical suicide). Reluctantly, anxiously, Add allows himself to be lead away. Watching over his shoulder the entire time, Dynamo trailing behind them...
no subject
"In the real deal, I let it yell at me. It can't hurt me in this form, however much it wishes- not beyond usin' Elijah's face like that. ... I've always been more proactive with one of my kids around."
And since it's a memory diverging off script, and Heimr has no idea of how the Forest would act- nor the desire to speculate on it- "Elijah" vanishes with a desolate wind.
no subject
It's a relief, but it also makes him feel kind of stupid. He got all worked up for nothing... he probably missed a lot of useful information from that memory... ugh.
"You could've mentioned that sooner," he grumbles half-heartedly, as if Heimr was going to give him a warning. He should've at least attacked for real, just to see what would happen. It would've been so satisfying.
no subject
Add's an inquisitive sort- the kind who takes everything of use and then some. But they aren't quite heading to the town. Not yet. Across from the well Heimr had been grieving at, there's a smoldering pile of ash where the general store would be. Sitting in the middle is a pink fox, plum blossoms falling from it like petals falling from trees in spring. Heimr crouches before it extending a hand, which it headbutts against. A pact is made in unspoken words. A promise is sealed.
The ash and burnt lumber vanishes in a familiar magic circle, and the General Store as Add knows it sprouts forth, the fox vanishing.
"... Truthfully, I don't really remember why I had them make the store. Somethin' to do to pass the time, I suppose."
no subject
He already feels exposed in here... and it goes deeper? How much deeper? Why is he being "sent off" in the first place? What is happening here, Shopkeeper, do you know or not?
"Why are you showing me this? Is there something I'm supposed to do with it?"
no subject
... Those changes don't change the actual past, though. But they give me nice 'what ifs'. Like what you did, just by bein' here. I woulda just let the forest keep talkin' if you weren't."
But he's not a man who backs down in front of his kids, generally.
no subject
Well, he doesn't have much choice, so he'll have to manage somehow. He sighs, straightening out his tie. Keep it together, Add. Don't make Heimr worry over nothing.
"How many others?" He can guess at least one—maybe two. He'd been looking for Mizuki, but he hadn't picked up Elsword's signature for awhile either. If he's not out fishing by the river... "I didn't see anyone else in the store when I left, and you didn't mention anything unusual... am I speaking to an unconscious part of Heimr's mind?"
Will he remember all of this? Or just the "what ifs"?
no subject
He'll guide Add into the store and true to his word, the main focus is just a place for them to sit and rest. Even taking a seat at his counter emphasizes how much smaller he is comparitively.
"I think you might be- I know the core of me- is still awake and working. I'm not sure why the lot of you are here, or how. But... Like I said, its a one-way road."
no subject
Add slumps into a chair as Dynamo stacks themselves neatly around his feet. He nods along quietly to the answer, decompressing.
"... likely subliminal. If I had the time to experiment..." This is definitely not an ethical thought, but it is tangentially related to his research. Ah, but he should keep that off his mind in here. He sits himself back up. "Noted. I'll keep an eye out for the others, if I run into them."
There's only one path forward, so he should move on as soon as possible... but. The heartscapes aren't just a reel of memories.
"Is there... anything I should be careful with? If it might cause you external harm, or..." if you die in heimrquest do you die in real life
no subject
"If you get hurt or anything too badly, you'll likely return to the 'hub' of things to recover mentally. Every heartscape seems to have them, you know what I'm talkin' about. Mines not set up the exact same, but that's consistent."
... Even if it's just a room of smoke. Maybe things will clear up more as they go.
"Actual physical wounds shouldn't be possible. ... Shouldn't is the key word. I don't expect anything to go as planned, since I didn't even expect this."
no subject
Anyway, it's better not to take unnecessary risks. They should prioritize getting out of here first, stay out of danger, and avoid anything that might damage the host's psyche. As for "what ifs"... it's probably better to play along, if they can, but this Heimr seems to still remember the true events. If the memories aren't being altered, it should be okay like this.
... even an awful memory like this is important, after all. They've both been shaped by loss.
He's quiet for a long moment, hands in his lap.
"... I meant what I said before. You, and Nene... and mother, too. I'll find a way to save all of you this time."
no subject
"I know. And I'll be there for you."
... But Add's not one for contact, so he backs up again, lingering only in case Add decides to initiate anything himself.
"The memories will be... odd. You may be observers, or you may take the place of someone, if not yourselves. I may not realize you're there until later, too. Just do what feels natural. I'll be fine."
no subject
Maybe... he'll allow himself to be a little clumsier, next time.
But for now, he exhales softly once the contact ends. Dynamo floats back into the air, recharged.
"Alright, then. What happens next?"
no subject
It's as easy as that.
"Or, if you want to look around the aftermath, we can do that for a bit. ... Just... not too long, please? I don't..."
He trails off, but shakes his head. If you want to see some past life corpses fresh now is the time.
no subject
...
"Hah, no. I think I've made you dwell on this long enough." As much as he wants to dissect a corpse just to see if Heimr can somehow remember specific details about the internals... no, that would be a little rude.
He's being so good today, please be proud of him.
no subject
"Alright then. ... Add? Thank you. I know this ain't your choice, but... it was nice. Bein' able to walk away."
And with that, he holds out his hand. When Add takes it, a light shines- and then it fades back to familiar smoke and cinnamon.