[The girl's about to say something, but then. Speak of the devil (danger), and it will appear!
Suddenly, there's what sounds like some kind of... energy blast? The ground shakes, and as though hit by a psychic wave, the building that these three happen to be walking by... explodes! Shards and planks of wood, along with furniture and the like, are sent flying at them.
The girl exclaims in surprise, instinctively reaching to cover her head. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah???
Cloud may dodge or get hit as he likes, but Sebastian is not so lucky. A piece of wood bonks him right in the head, and so down he goes, out cold. RIP.]
cloud has the same reflex to just protect his head and not try to take out a sword against an explosion, because that's dumb, ducking a little and covering himself. he would try to dodge but he's suffering from so many levels of exhaustion, so instead he gets hit by debris but not enough to knock him out, yaaaay. after it's done; ]
But it seems like she can't spend too much time fretting over Sebastian, as she turns to face the source of the blast—now somewhat visible, given that there is no longer a building blocking their view! In the distance, Cloud can see what looks to be... an identical girl, except this one has white hair.]
Sister, please stop—!
[The other villagers, who realize this is clearly a bigger priority than averting their eyes from the suspicious two newcomers, begin clamoring.]
We have to kill her now...
How do you expect us to get near her?
We have to try! She'll kill us all at this rate...
But what about Sen? That's her sister...
[For the record, there is no meaning to Sen rhyming with Ben. Jan is just uncreative with names.
But just as about the dark-haired girl—Sen—is about to try and run towards the other girl, despite her own injuries, the other girl shoots everyone a murderous look and then vanishes. For a few moments, Sen looks crestfallen, before she turns back to Cloud.]
[ ... god he hates dealing with people's backstories...
but he notes that to tell sebastian when he ever wakes up, so he'll bend down to pick him up and carry him to the house. sure. he is probably not a corpse and even if he was it'd be rude to leave him there. ]
... Alright. Lead the way. [ though while they're walking, aware that he is the only one awake to make conversation, in the most reluctant tone possible; ] Family problems?
[Yeah, this is what you get when the cute social one is unconscious, Cloud.
Sen stares at the ground as they walk.]
... I'm sorry you got caught up in that. Ren is... Please understand that she's not a bad person. She hasn't become a fiend yet either! I know I can stop her... I just need to be able to reach her.
—Oh, but the villagers aren't bad people either! They accepted spirits like us, even though we aren't human. They knew the risk...
[It doesn't take long before they reach Sen's home, at least. It's a small house, but when they step inside, it was clearly meant for two, at least. Two beds, a table with two chairs.]
anyway, he steps inside and he is going to abandon sebastian on a bed because the dude may not be heavy but cloud is FUCKING TIRED, thank you, and now he can ask about the plot and suffer ]
... So ... that's how fiends happen? They all... used to be spirits? [ hello this is relevant to his life (make-believe life) so much more than the family drama ]
Sen at least gets around to fetching water for Cloud and preparing some food.]
... Yes and no. Fiends are those who get corrupted. Sometimes it's those who become evil spirits, usually out of despair... but it's possible for humans to be contaminated as well. At least for humans, if it's in the beginning stages, there's a possible cure, but...
[ he is immediately drinking the water while she talks. oh my god. he does not drink it too fast because i'm not here for puking.
sebastian will still be dehydrated because i don't know how to make an unconscious person drink ]
... No, I'm not. Allergic. [ he answers that, first, which is very polite of him when what he really wants to talk about is; ] What's the possible cure? Is it that hard to get?
Look. I'm a mercenary, and he's... [ there's a long pause as he looks at sebastian ] been helping me. We're strong. We want to help. I'm not going to use this against you if the cure is the souls of the innocent or some bullshit like that.
She's quiet for a bit, chopping away at vegetables—actually, she pauses in that to grab some ice, put it in a bag, and place it on the unconscious Sebastian's head. There, for him. She will also go and fetch bandages for Cloud, before she goes back to preparing food.
She also seems a little dubious at the notion of Sebastian being strong but she will not comment on it.]
... If a spirit has become powerful enough to fully materialize—like Ren and I have—then... if you destroy them, the residue from their body can be used as a cure, for a limited amount.
That's why I have to stop Ren myself—before this village decides she's too dangerous and kills her for that reason.
[ he was lying about sebastian being strong, he's glad he is not called out on it. he wraps the bandages around his ow ouch owie ankle and frowns because he KNEW it was going to be some garbage!! it's always some garbage!!! ]
... Wouldn't that create more fiends in the long run? Sure, it cures a human or two, but you said spirits who fall to despair can turn into fiends. I'd say murdering powerful spirits left and right would be enough for that.
[ i'm sorry that he's so blunt about it, but also, >:| ]
[She gives him a small smile. Apparently, she doesn't mind Cloud being a blunt butthead.]
You're probably not wrong. I can't really blame them for their way of thinking... Times have always been hard, and they're getting harder now. What with ████████ out there... We haven't had any news from the outside for a while until you came along, but it sounds like the world's getting much worse.
So, people are desperate. I just... Ren's my family. I have to save her, even if it costs me. That's what we do for the people we love.
[She finishes making the food (do not question how this was done in record time) and hands the bowls over to Cloud and also for Sebastian when he wakes up. It's just, like, a basic salad and soup and bread but it's fine.]
You two can stay here until you recover. [Especially, uh, Sebastian.] You said you were trying to head somewhere, right?
[ the people we love... yes, very terrible and relatable, he refuses to linger on that. ... mostly because he's starving and he's busy eating the food in record time, oh my god, this is the best bread he's ever tasted in his life. help him. he says thank you before digging in in the most polite way he has ever been. anyway once he's swallowed down, like, half of it: ]
... Right. We're trying to find a way to stop... [ he can't say the censored name and he has not yet figured out if it's buzzing in his ears because that just happens sometimes when people say names to him or if it's something weirder, so after his careful pause as he thinks of how you pronounce black bars; ] ... Everything. With the fiends. Before the world gets destroyed in this war.
... You must have gone through a lot. I think most people, at this point, are busy trying to protect what's in front of them, rather than the whole world.
[Including her, apparently. Family issues...]
Let me know if there's anything I can do to help—oh, and I hope the food's okay!
... I just need to be able to reach my sister. If you can help me with that, then I can stop her.
[She looks at Sebastian, still unconscious.]
Oh, um. It doesn't have to be right now, or anything! She usually doesn't act again right away, anyway. So you two can get some rest, or more food if you need it.
But Sen will make more food for these starving fools and allow them to sleep on the two beds. She will just sleep on the floor, because they're guests.
Zzzzzzz. Have a good rest! She will make breakfast for them in the morning when they wake up because they'll probably need it.]
anyway sebastian's probably going to wake up in the middle of the night but think it's a dream because he doesn't know where he is and fall asleep again. it's fine.
in the morning, he is... still starving and dehydrated but very rested?? ]
[ gestures at whatever food and water sen has left them. eat, dumbass. cloud is casually eating bread probably it's morning. ]
You got hit on the head and passed out. We're at Sen's house. [ a beat; ] Fiends form from corrupted spirits or humans, human ones in the beginning stages can be cured but only by collecting the very small amount of magic dust from the corpse of a spirit powerful enough they're corporeal, so it's worthless. Sen and her sister are corporeal spirits. We're helping her reach out to her sister so she doesn't turn evil or get murdered by the townspeople. Eat up and we'll go.
[ drinks water.
HE COULD AT LEAST CHECK HOW SEBASTIAN IS FEELING ]
[ takes a very long drink of water while cloud talks, and blinks when he's done. he got like, a third of that, and will probably forget half of that in twenty minutes. ]
Oh. Um. Okay.
[ he glances over at sen as he grabs his food, assuming she's the spirit he's talking about? huh. ]
No, it's... it'll probably be fine? H-hold on.
[ it is time to EAT THIS BREAD, which is indeed the best fucking bread he has ever had, wow. anyway, give him a few minutes to stop dying here... once he finally stops feeling dizzy, he stands up, though he's still kind of rubbing his head where he got hit. ow. ]
Okay. [ whew. ] I think it should be okay? Probably? S-so, uh, whenever we're ready, I guess...
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
guestservices) wrote2022-07-10 05:39 pm
no subject
Suddenly, there's what sounds like some kind of... energy blast? The ground shakes, and as though hit by a psychic wave, the building that these three happen to be walking by... explodes! Shards and planks of wood, along with furniture and the like, are sent flying at them.
The girl exclaims in surprise, instinctively reaching to cover her head. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah???
Cloud may dodge or get hit as he likes, but Sebastian is not so lucky. A piece of wood bonks him right in the head, and so down he goes, out cold. RIP.]
no subject
cloud has the same reflex to just protect his head and not try to take out a sword against an explosion, because that's dumb, ducking a little and covering himself. he would try to dodge but he's suffering from so many levels of exhaustion, so instead he gets hit by debris but not enough to knock him out, yaaaay. after it's done; ]
Everyone okay?
[ he looks around, worried.
sebastian is dead ]
no subject
[SEBASTIAN NO DON'T GO INTO THE LIGHT
But it seems like she can't spend too much time fretting over Sebastian, as she turns to face the source of the blast—now somewhat visible, given that there is no longer a building blocking their view! In the distance, Cloud can see what looks to be... an identical girl, except this one has white hair.]
Sister, please stop—!
[The other villagers, who realize this is clearly a bigger priority than averting their eyes from the suspicious two newcomers, begin clamoring.]
We have to kill her now...
How do you expect us to get near her?
We have to try! She'll kill us all at this rate...
But what about Sen? That's her sister...
[For the record, there is no meaning to Sen rhyming with Ben. Jan is just uncreative with names.
But just as about the dark-haired girl—Sen—is about to try and run towards the other girl, despite her own injuries, the other girl shoots everyone a murderous look and then vanishes. For a few moments, Sen looks crestfallen, before she turns back to Cloud.]
... Um. I can take you to my home now.
[Anyway!]
no subject
but he notes that to tell sebastian when he ever wakes up, so he'll bend down to pick him up and carry him to the house. sure. he is probably not a corpse and even if he was it'd be rude to leave him there. ]
... Alright. Lead the way. [ though while they're walking, aware that he is the only one awake to make conversation, in the most reluctant tone possible; ] Family problems?
no subject
Sen stares at the ground as they walk.]
... I'm sorry you got caught up in that. Ren is... Please understand that she's not a bad person. She hasn't become a fiend yet either! I know I can stop her... I just need to be able to reach her.
—Oh, but the villagers aren't bad people either! They accepted spirits like us, even though we aren't human. They knew the risk...
[It doesn't take long before they reach Sen's home, at least. It's a small house, but when they step inside, it was clearly meant for two, at least. Two beds, a table with two chairs.]
no subject
anyway, he steps inside and he is going to abandon sebastian on a bed because the dude may not be heavy but cloud is FUCKING TIRED, thank you, and now he can ask about the plot and suffer ]
... So ... that's how fiends happen? They all... used to be spirits? [ hello this is relevant to his life (make-believe life) so much more than the family drama ]
no subject
Sen at least gets around to fetching water for Cloud and preparing some food.]
... Yes and no. Fiends are those who get corrupted. Sometimes it's those who become evil spirits, usually out of despair... but it's possible for humans to be contaminated as well. At least for humans, if it's in the beginning stages, there's a possible cure, but...
[She shakes her head.]
A-Anyway! Are you, um... allergic to anything?
no subject
sebastian will still be dehydrated because i don't know how to make an unconscious person drink ]
... No, I'm not. Allergic. [ he answers that, first, which is very polite of him when what he really wants to talk about is; ] What's the possible cure? Is it that hard to get?
no subject
DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVOURITE FOODS.
no subject
... No.
[ anyway; ]
Look. I'm a mercenary, and he's... [ there's a long pause as he looks at sebastian ] been helping me. We're strong. We want to help. I'm not going to use this against you if the cure is the souls of the innocent or some bullshit like that.
no subject
She's quiet for a bit, chopping away at vegetables—actually, she pauses in that to grab some ice, put it in a bag, and place it on the unconscious Sebastian's head. There, for him. She will also go and fetch bandages for Cloud, before she goes back to preparing food.
She also seems a little dubious at the notion of Sebastian being strong but she will not comment on it.]
... If a spirit has become powerful enough to fully materialize—like Ren and I have—then... if you destroy them, the residue from their body can be used as a cure, for a limited amount.
That's why I have to stop Ren myself—before this village decides she's too dangerous and kills her for that reason.
no subject
... Wouldn't that create more fiends in the long run? Sure, it cures a human or two, but you said spirits who fall to despair can turn into fiends. I'd say murdering powerful spirits left and right would be enough for that.
[ i'm sorry that he's so blunt about it, but also, >:| ]
no subject
You're probably not wrong. I can't really blame them for their way of thinking... Times have always been hard, and they're getting harder now. What with ████████ out there... We haven't had any news from the outside for a while until you came along, but it sounds like the world's getting much worse.
So, people are desperate. I just... Ren's my family. I have to save her, even if it costs me. That's what we do for the people we love.
[She finishes making the food (do not question how this was done in record time) and hands the bowls over to Cloud and also for Sebastian when he wakes up. It's just, like, a basic salad and soup and bread but it's fine.]
You two can stay here until you recover. [Especially, uh, Sebastian.] You said you were trying to head somewhere, right?
no subject
... Right. We're trying to find a way to stop... [ he can't say the censored name and he has not yet figured out if it's buzzing in his ears because that just happens sometimes when people say names to him or if it's something weirder, so after his careful pause as he thinks of how you pronounce black bars; ] ... Everything. With the fiends. Before the world gets destroyed in this war.
[ nomnomnom soup ]
no subject
[Including her, apparently. Family issues...]
Let me know if there's anything I can do to help—oh, and I hope the food's okay!
[She pauses, fidgeting.]
no subject
[ haha, the apocalypse. anyway he watches her fidget and hopes the food isn't drugged but also makes no move to stop eating. STARVATION SUCKS, OKAY. ]
It's fine. [ ... ughhh: ] You alright?
no subject
... You said you could help me, right?
no subject
[ he is going to regret agreeing but like ehhhh what else they gonna do. ]
no subject
... I just need to be able to reach my sister. If you can help me with that, then I can stop her.
[She looks at Sebastian, still unconscious.]
Oh, um. It doesn't have to be right now, or anything! She usually doesn't act again right away, anyway. So you two can get some rest, or more food if you need it.
no subject
[ he says, staring at sebastians prone body, eating some bread. hopefully he isn't dead! ]
no subject
But Sen will make more food for these starving fools and allow them to sleep on the two beds. She will just sleep on the floor, because they're guests.
Zzzzzzz. Have a good rest! She will make breakfast for them in the morning when they wake up because they'll probably need it.]
no subject
anyway sebastian's probably going to wake up in the middle of the night but think it's a dream because he doesn't know where he is and fall asleep again. it's fine.
in the morning, he is... still starving and dehydrated but very rested?? ]
Ugh... What happened?
no subject
You got hit on the head and passed out. We're at Sen's house. [ a beat; ] Fiends form from corrupted spirits or humans, human ones in the beginning stages can be cured but only by collecting the very small amount of magic dust from the corpse of a spirit powerful enough they're corporeal, so it's worthless. Sen and her sister are corporeal spirits. We're helping her reach out to her sister so she doesn't turn evil or get murdered by the townspeople. Eat up and we'll go.
[ drinks water.
HE COULD AT LEAST CHECK HOW SEBASTIAN IS FEELING ]
no subject
Are you all right? You don't have to rush if you're still injured.
no subject
Oh. Um. Okay.
[ he glances over at sen as he grabs his food, assuming she's the spirit he's talking about? huh. ]
No, it's... it'll probably be fine? H-hold on.
[ it is time to EAT THIS BREAD, which is indeed the best fucking bread he has ever had, wow. anyway, give him a few minutes to stop dying here... once he finally stops feeling dizzy, he stands up, though he's still kind of rubbing his head where he got hit. ow. ]
Okay. [ whew. ] I think it should be okay? Probably? S-so, uh, whenever we're ready, I guess...
...Thanks for all of this, by the way.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)