A clearing deep in the forest with no trails, set past the other side of the lake. At least, that's what it USED to be... Now it's a cacophonous mass of floating terrain, jagged glitches, broken trees, and a tear in reality creating even more weirdness. You shouldn't be here, Should you? After all, this isn't part of your choiceless lives; yet, it exists. Why? Because somebody made the choice. I did. This part of the forest will remain above your resets; it shall be your reminder.
Delta had walked for quite some time. She had separated herself from the others, and for good reason: Delta was about to experiment.
...if clenching my fist can do so much on its own.... She says, followed by a chuckle. ...What else can i do while restrained?... Delta looks down at her hands in a morbid, desolate curiosity that may only subside by the taste of answers... And answers were what she would get today.
04:21
An unlucky deer had froze up nearby, of which Delta decided to use as a perfect test point. She pointed her left hand at it and clenched her fist, to which the deer's body inverted with a snap of every bone that fell out of its body during the inversion.(goric death warning) She fell silent in mortified shock.... But then, shock became intrigue.* *She waved a hand once more, and that which was left of the deer had vanished.(edited)
04:21
...At least it was only a deer.
04:23
*she says, staving off the guilt as she focuses more on the implications at her hands. She had never explored her limits like this before, and this... This was the perfect time. No friends to hurt, no hearts to break.... It's perfect.*
With not much hesitation, she began channeling her powers through the restraints as best they could Muster. The ground At her feet began to crack as ripples shook the area, more and more unnaturally Jagged terrain forming from the ripples. Soon enough, floating chunks of the earth began forming in the area as the trees joined their reluctant others in the symphony of madness that Delta has chosen to orchestrate.(edited)
04:27
*Sourceless blue light, distorted vision, jagged earth, Ruined trees... It was all but steps until she found the true horror behind herself: she was not prevented completely. The Leaks were getting stronger.*(edited)
04:29
she then, after time spent thinking, chose to further her exploration. She put her hands together and closed her eyes...
04:29
she took a deep breath, and sank one hand into the very fabric of reality in this area.
04:31
she looked upon her result in horror. She had done it - her hand was but mere moments away from cracking open a paradoxical state of reality.
04:31
...oh my god... I can do it out here?... She says, tone shook by the discovery.
04:32
... Something changes about her demeanor...(edited)
04:33
...I think that i Will open this.... Just to leave a mark... A Reminder.
04:34
*She then pulled her hand downwards, tearing a rift in reality. The Narrative Contraction of this one area is too great to be cleansed now.*(edited)
04:35
Delta pulled her hand from the tear and stepped back, watching on in a perverse delight as she bore witness to that which surpassed mortal understanding once more.
islands of terrain float alongside broken trees, all suspended by nothing but the air above the ground. Jagged edges protrude and submerge into the earth at random intervals, the sky blackened by the glow of blue light emanating around them.
Alph feels his hair raise, goosebumps covering his arms. They shift closer to Narrator.
"It's hard to explain, the feeling in my stomach as I look around..." Narrator hums. "Fear, curiosity, disgust? It's alien to me; I can't describe it with those words."(edited)
iris just felt her paranoia pointing in all directions. she was definitely intrigued, and scared. she didn’t know what to expect at the end of this… area. she remained silent.(edited)
"I... Delta did this?" Alph wonders aloud. "But... we should continue in, right? To find her..." This reminded him of that horrid place, in an odd way. How the mist wrapped around him... "Does this statue..."
Alphonse!
"I... Delta did this?" Alph wonders aloud. "But... we should continue in, right? To find her..." This reminded him of that horrid place, in an odd way. How the mist wrapped around him... "Does this statue..."
(love the worldbuilding. it’s so ominous, especially with the music. love it <3)
the fog, combined with the glow, made it harder to focus; but she still saw the deer, which combined multiple aspects in a very… surreal fashion.
yeah, yep. this was nothing like iris had seen before. she looked to her teammates. alph seemed to… be reminded of something? she wasn’t sure.(edited)
"Should I..." Alph reaches out to the statued head, but Narrator grasps his hand first.
"Let me." Cautiously, he uses the non-bladed edge of his spear to poke it.(edited)
00:27
(no one knows if its important or just atmosphere lmao)(edited)
iris spoke for the first time since stepping foot into this area. “yeah… when we’re in a place like this, i don’t think…” i don’t think common laws of the universe really… apply here. she finished in her mind.
"Should I..." Alph reaches out to the statued head, but Narrator grasps his hand first.
"Let me." Cautiously, he uses the non-bladed edge of his spear to poke it.(edited)
iris stopped. she panicked, fear in her eyes. but she quickly regained her composure with a few deep breaths. she got into a moveable stance, and readied herself.(edited)
"Shit-"
Narrator immediately steps in front of Alph, again holding the spear defensively. "This... place. It's-well, I've most certainly never seen anything like it."
Alphonse readies himself as well.
"Not the best time, S-spoocs." Alph dryly swallows.
00:38
Alph immediately moves closer to Narrator once more, nearly against his side. Their breaths are heavy as the pillars cage everyone in. Wow, really not the best time to be reminded of your past.(edited)
…..is… is it trapping them? iris considered running for an open space, but stopped herself. she gulped. “look, we’re gonna move through this together. at least none of us are alone right now.” her hands were shaking—the place instilled a very different kind of fear into her.—but she smiled through ti.(edited)
The thought actually did reassure them. Well, as much as it could in this place. "Y-yeah, you're right."
Narrator stays quiet, nervously clenching his jaw.
"I hope we can find Delta..." Alph worries. At this point, They doubted they could run. Or, that anyone could find them or hear them. "I... don't think I'm up for fighting, not in this state." The mist still blanketed them. He was too far in bad memory to hear such a quiet plea.
iris saw the figure from the corner of her eye. she turned to see…whatever was happening over there.
she came to a realization…of course the first thing delta did was trap them in the sky. how would they dodge anything in this position?(edited)
Zara
there, on a hill! A figure floated about, seemingly laughing to themselves as they threw rocks in gravitational orbits around other rocks.
The figure heard this and floated over to the group. It's the her! Hey guys! I did -not- expect to see y'all Around here! Especially since i went so far out.... How's the trip, y'all having fun?
00:59
she says, gingerly spinning in gyroscopic circles.
(she looks so happy in that drawing shshdhf)
”….yeah, it’s going good,” she tried to shout. she slightly stood from her stance, but still kept her feet light… just in case. still incredibly paranoid.(edited)
Alph can't even get his words of relief and anger out. His voice is caught in their throat, like hes choking on it. They want to cry. If the world darkens, he won't be able to resist that temptation.(edited)
Alph can't even get his words of relief and anger out. His voice is caught in their throat, like hes choking on it. They want to cry. If the world darkens, he won't be able to resist that temptation.(edited)
iris very quickly noticed his discomfort—her fear started to mix with concern. thankfully, narrator seemed to be comforting him. feeling that they had a long history together, she decided to let him do the job.(edited)
Oh me? I've been... Dealing with some stress. I had a really big fall-out with... With myself, really. I just couldn't take the stress much more and... Well, here we are! I decided to screw around... Hope it didn't get out of hand back at the trails, Because i needed a bit of free sandbox time after centuries of nothing but my thoughts.
( https://youtu.be/rrCuhTlj-ig )
to be completely honest, spooc’s humor and tbh somewhat grounded iris. she actually might be able to somewhat relieve her paranoia; it was blocking her thought process anyways.
"I-I..." Come on, come on! Speak! "H-have you... gotten your... stress, out?" They had to use the effort of screaming their lungs out to get the words to come out at a normal volume. "C-can you..." It feels like their heart is about to explode. What a pitiful way to die. "...return, with us?"
Oh me? I've been... Dealing with some stress. I had a really big fall-out with... With myself, really. I just couldn't take the stress much more and... Well, here we are! I decided to screw around... Hope it didn't get out of hand back at the trails, Because i needed a bit of free sandbox time after centuries of nothing but my thoughts.
( https://youtu.be/rrCuhTlj-ig )
”if she really created a dimension like this…” iris trailed off. she’s basically warped reality in this place, who knows * what *she can do here?(edited)
I was planning on going back myself, just... I didn't know when. She says, looking to the side. I may be free in the office building, but i sure don't feel free. As many friends as i may have.... As many things i get to do... It will never compare to my definition of freedom. Sure, this isn't it either... But it's still some degree of beautiful to me. I have a weird sense of... Awe, I'd say... from seeing this. Delta bats Around floating rocks as she talks. The absence of control over reality, it's... It's a place where i can at least dream about being free from my curse.
Freedom. Freedom, that word rings in their head. Freedom... Their thoughts are fuzzy. Yes, freedom. He has it now. Unfortunately, the memories fetter him back, back to that cell.
01:21
(bro i started the group picture and drew one thing and its making me fuckgin cuogh)
( (tw: tmi??) ...thinks about the time i held my pee in for like 1 1/2 days straight cause i didnt want to use a disgusting bathroom at camp and looks away)
2
Alphonse!
(bro i started the group picture and drew one thing and its making me fuckgin cuogh)
(Yo you drawing them all? You should like have em all standing atop the cube facing delta sitting towards them if you haven't like - fully situated)(edited)
freedom, huh. iris tensed at the word. her experiences of this “freedom” had never been liberating.. there was always something there, pulling on her like an afterthought.(edited)
( https://youtu.be/kI83FaXS9U0 )
Delta shakes her head. Heh... It's all just ramblings of a cursed shell at the end of the day. I don't need to get back into that state of mind. The ground she sat on and the one they stood upon sank back into the earth, Delta now standing not too far from them all.(edited)
iris pushed closer to alph. she could tell he was drowned in his own thoughts—she’s seen something similar in her own episodes. however, she…can’t “wake him up” or snap him back. she would just have to hope that delta doesn’t attack or taunt him.
she faced delta, slightly moving in front of alph, waiting for someone to say something.(edited)
Zara
( https://youtu.be/kI83FaXS9U0 )
Delta shakes her head. Heh... It's all just ramblings of a cursed shell at the end of the day. I don't need to get back into that state of mind. The ground she sat on and the one they stood upon sank back into the earth, Delta now standing not too far from them all.(edited)
"Even if you are a container for power, it doesn't make you a shell, you know." Narrator speaks, sighing. "You are still a person, despite your powers. Find a place you can make your own, as a little lapse of freedom. Make it like this, devoid of reality, if you need. Though, it may not solve things." He rolls his shoulders, not meeting anyone's gaze. It's what he had done, years back. "Or, don't take my advice. I suppose it wouldn't affect me. I'd prefer it not affect Alphonse, either. I don't know you one bit, after all."
if she had visible eyebrows, they'd have raised at this statement. ...Hm... She lets out an exasperated, pained sigh, as if to feel satisfied after a time of panic. It.. doesn't help me about... Her... But, i guess that's about all that can be done....
"Life is about doing what you can to survive. Sometimes, you fail no matter what. Trying to make everything completely better is impossible." Damn, he wishes he had some tea. "Just make what you can into something that helps. A little at a time. Though, do be careful with the zero-gravity thing and any liquids you may have." Wasn't this Alphonse's job? Why was he doing it?
01:51
(ugh, feelings. this is why i repress mine<-narrator/j)
Zara
(I'm the kinda person that just needs Help feeling Better at the time, because I'll get over whatever I'm dealing with in a day's time anyway)
(boutta get real proverbial here)
she brushes off her pants and takes a glowing pebble out of her pocket. She stares at it as she speaks the next phrase.
The chaos i have wrought here today, it is my heart... But the peaceful order i laid waste upon to create it.. that is my soul.
01:56
she clutches the rock in her hand before tossing it up into the sky... It did not come down, rather it became a star in the sky.
Alph, still shaken, watches silently. Not like he has anything to say. Narrator sighs, happy there was some positive change in demeanor, even if only slight.
Either way... She seems to lighten up, almost on a whim. You wanna see some cool stuff we can do here?!(edited)
Zara
(boutta get real proverbial here)
she brushes off her pants and takes a glowing pebble out of her pocket. She stares at it as she speaks the next phrase.
The chaos i have wrought here today, it is my heart... But the peaceful order i laid waste upon to create it.. that is my soul.
iris also watches silently, now less paranoid but a little curious after noticing delta’s change in demeanor. she now wonders how much of her friend’s statements were true. not that she was doubting them, but…(edited)
"Unfortunately, I believe Alphonse is being affected by the area quite... severely." Narrator dips his head in apology; he knows Alphonse would've fully enjoyed staying and watching, had it not been for... something in the area. He wasn't sure what. "I'll be heading off with him, to make sure they're alright."
Zara
Either way... She seems to lighten up, almost on a whim. You wanna see some cool stuff we can do here?! (edited)
now, this mood shift threw iris off a little; she made a mental note to be careful not to do anything that might make delta’s mood shift for the worse.
“yeah,” iris agreed. “i’ll leave with them as well.” she paused. “…however, i may consider your offer in the future, delta.” she forced a smile. (she was honestly interested in delta’s capabilities.)(edited)