lost in a lullaby [feylost, day 2]

kap
Retired Staff

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Pronouns: they/them
last seen Apr 27, 2024 10:23:44 GMT -5

goomy goomy on the brain

lost in a lullaby [feylost, day 2] Jun 30, 2023 12:41:03 GMT -5

Quote

Post by kap on Jun 30, 2023 12:41:03 GMT -5

♛

The Kuo-Toa damaged Vallen's eyes (from what I could tell) and his face, and it was actually quite a bit more terrifying that I had anticipated something like that being. To be totally honest, seeing it on television back home is completely different from witnessing it right in front of you, in person. I wasn't sure if I was ready for when tributes actually started dying in front of me, or when I'd eventually start killing them myself.

I didn't feel bad about killing the Kuo-Toa, but I would've felt awful if they'd killed any of my allies. I suppose they were starting to become friends to me, too. Not just allies. I actually cared about them a bit more than I realized. They weren't just here as meat shields, I'd realized after fighting the mutts that the Gamemakers had sent after us.

After the fight was over and Vallen delivered the final blow on the Kuo-Toa, I suggested we set up camp and rotate taking watch.

"It might be smart to get some water, start a fire... that kind of stuff. I can start a fire if someone is willing to keep an eye out for any more of those things, or whatever or whoever else could be around," I told them all.

I'd managed to get my hands on some flint from that "Goblin Market" thing that Elijah had encountered earlier. So, I used it to start a fire with my remaining firewood and purified canteens of water for everyone.

I handed them out, deciding to hold onto mine for later. I didn't quite need it yet— maybe tomorrow. I took a seat on a log a little ways back from the lagoon and just sort-of looked out at the water. It was a combination of keeping an eye on things to make sure nothing else jumped out at us, and also just being somewhat lost in thought.

Vallen was tough. He'd kept fighting even after one of those rotten things quite literally gouged his eye out, and he'd gotten some good hits in, too. I respected him, and I hoped he could tell. Maybe I should've let him know right then, but I was a bit hesitant, at least for the moment. It might seem strange to say aloud so soon.

Lillybird was frightening. To be totally honest, I was scared of her, but in a way that made me really attracted to her too, to matter how much I would refuse to admit that out loud. There was no way in hell I was telling her that. I'd rather say just about anything else to any of the others than expressing those kind of feelings to someone I barely knew.

Elijah was genuine. He followed what he believed, even if it was some crazy-cultish religion. He knew how to help others and was willing to; he'd helped me a lot, and I really appreciated it. It was something I wanted to thank him for, but yet again, the words evaded me.

So, I sat there in the quiet. I knew it wouldn't last long, so I might as well enjoy it while I could.

-

[Quentin does some stuff that'll be in maint]
[words: 519]

table by kaplan

Last Edit: Jun 30, 2023 15:37:34 GMT -5 by kap

d4 tati pelotte [azalea]
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last seen Jan 22, 2024 14:18:32 GMT -5

lost in a lullaby [feylost, day 2] Jul 1, 2023 16:29:58 GMT -5

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Post by d4 tati pelotte [azalea] on Jul 1, 2023 16:29:58 GMT -5

♛

Surrounded by the calmness of the water and the vibrant hues of the setting sun, my thoughts and feelings intertwine with the serenity of this ethereal world.

I perch on a moss-covered rock, gazing at the water's surface. The lilypads gently sway with the ripples of the water, the breeze carrying them around the lagoon delicately. For a second, there's a silence, and with it comes a peace that feels completely alien in this place. The tranquility of the lagoon is but only a momentary respite, a temporary sanctuary that is just as dangerous as it is beautiful.

Another minute, another hour has passed, and soon, it'll be another day down. I stare out to the sky, whispers of hope getting lost in the wind. A heavy silence hangs in the air, and that's when I realise that no cannons have sounded yet. Somehow, the lack of the boom blasting through the skies is far more eerie because the silence only amplifies every soft-spoken wish of survival.

I don't want to survive though, I want to win. I think there's a difference, because if I could go home and see Marcus again and shout at him, heck, swear at him for leaving me lonely in that room after the reaping, I'd die a thousand times for it. There's a part of me that doesn't really care about how broken I'd be if I were to make it out - because surely what doesn't kill you physically can only make you stronger mentally. I've heard all about how mental wounds take far longer to heal; no needle and thread can patch up a dark hole in someone's mind but I think pushing the pain away can be a good thing. Besides, it'll only be for a week at most, and maybe I'm young and naive but is that really enough time to kill the humanity in a person?

Rage is still an emotion, and I know that I'd still have that even if nothing else.

"It might be smart to get some water, start a fire... that kind of stuff. I can start a fire if someone is willing to keep an eye out for any more of those things, or whatever or whoever else could be around," Quentin says. I look back over my shoulder at him and give a nod before looking back at the water. The water sparkles in the setting sun's rays, and I sink my claws in to rinse them of the mutt's blood.

"Survival," I scoff from the water's edge. "There haven't been any cannons," I say plainly. The thought is a plague on my mind because how can survival be portrayed as so difficult when everyone is still here? "I don't trust this place, or them," I say under my breath, tilting my head to the sky, thinking of the people playing God with our lives. "Not one bit. It can't be this easy, and that means, it won't be." I stand up and kick the water, the ripples moving through the water with power, rocking the lilypads to disturb their delicate dance.

Maybe I'm less sane than I thought. I don't care. I'm going to start blaming Marcus for all of my problems now after what he did to me.

"Does that scare you guys? To think, this is as easy as it's going to get and those beasts did that to Vallen?"

The fear it stirs in me is fleeting. It's like being thrown into the sea: sink or swim. It's our choice, and I know that I'd force myself to swim every single time because that's how badly I want it. My mission is simple: win.

But the silence makes everyone more hungry for it today than yesterday, and if there are no cannons again going into the night, then it just means that I have to be more hungry.

If everyone else is a star, then I have to be a supernova. If everyone else is a castle, then I have to be a fortress.

If everyone else is competition, then I'll be war.

table by kaplan

lillybird ludwig does stuff in maint

Jorg
Merchant

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last seen Apr 26, 2024 20:03:08 GMT -5

Wishing I was Ryan Gosling’s Ken, Knowing I’m Scott Evan’s Ken

lost in a lullaby [feylost, day 2] Jul 1, 2023 17:57:40 GMT -5

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Post by Jorg on Jul 1, 2023 17:57:40 GMT -5

♛

Elijah became filled with a twisted sense of confidence when he cut off those fingers and blocked and dodged the creature's attacks. It was a slow start to the fight for Elijah, but he had found his groove. Fighting for him had almost become a dance; once he was able to predict his partner's moves, Elijah had felt comfortable enough to strike and make his attacks hurt. He hadn't paid attention to his allies when he heard Vallen call out in pain. The fish men had slashed his face, getting his eye and almost certainly leaving him blind. Elijah cursed and silently berated himself for not looking out for his teammates. Elijah wanted to win, but is the cost becoming a monster? Elijah ran over to Vallen as he delivered the last blow, and the other creatures retreated. Apparently, the Gamemakers had been satiated with the damage they inflicted.

"Vallen, are you still with us? Can you see?" Elijah asked as he grabbed Vallen's shoulders. "If you can't see, I'm going to sit you down on this rock and try fixing you up a bit. It won't be much, but hopefully, it'll be enough to close the wounds."

Elijah did just that, using the first aid skills they were taught and a bundle of the medicinal herbs he had collected from the forest yesterday. He gave Vallen his own friendship bracelet as well.

Quinten gave me his yesterday, making me feel better. Hopefully, it will work for you too." Elijah stated as he slipped the bracelet onto Vallen's wrists.

The group took a moment to catch their breath, and Elijah was grateful. It allowed him to reflect on everything that had happened since Reaping Day. Elijah still remembered the church surrounding him. His brother Tanner shouted the ever-persistent line that ended every prayer they had recited before bowing at him as Elijah ascended those steps. The rest of the church had followed suit, and the echo of those voices still rang in his head as a never-ending choir hymn.

May he deliver you! May he deliver you! May he deliver you!

Did the church members know that Ansgar hadn't deemed Elijah worthy of being in his presence? That the "false god" Mace Emberstatt had trained and coached Elijah throughout the week? Would Father Garcia have claimed it was part of Ripred's cruel test? All this was just a test for Elijah to prove his faith. Elijah felt his faith crumbling increasingly by the minute, and he didn't think he had the heart to face his church once he got out.

Quentin talked about getting some water and asked someone to keep watch while he started a fire. Elijah volunteered and made his way down to the lagoon. There, he had seen his reflection for the first time since entering the arena and had been taken aback by what he saw.

Elijah no longer looked human; his eyes had become almost pure golden honey, shining as he couldn't discern his irises from the rest of his eyes. Everything about his reflection looked like Elijah was lit from within, as his skin had cleared and almost pure, his cropped hair had turned a brilliant platinum color, and his ears were now sharply pointed upward, all of this enhanced by a soft golden white glow that emanated from him. If this was what Ripred had planned for Elijah, how could he face the church when he was no longer human? Elijah thrust the canteens into the water, breaking up the monstrosity that confronted him, not wanting to see if they had done anything to him.

As he made his way back to shore, Elijah could hear Lillybird's voice carried over the slight breeze that had formed. She talked about how there were no cannons, and this experience was challenging. The fear was starting to set into her, and we could tell. Elijah hadn't blamed her, though; everything about this place was made to screw with their heads, appearing peaceful and serene, yet these monsters arose him hidden depths and shallows to take pieces of them left and right.

"Does that scare you guys? To think, this is as easy as it's going to get, and those beasts did that to Vallen?" She asked us. I turned to look at Vallen, still seeing the gash I had tried to close.

"Honeslty," Elijah had started as voice slightly broke. "All of this freaks me out. Nothing in this place is what it seems, and I hate that I have to worry about not only everyone else trying to kill us but the damn environment is taking pieces of us too. My pastor told me that he would be a test of my faith, but this is so much more fucked up than just a test of faith. Look at what they did to me; I'm not even fucking human anymore. Look at what they did to Vallen; look at what they did to this damn place." Elijah's voice had steadily climbed in volume until he was near yelling at them. He took a deep breath before continuing.

" I'm sorry I didn't mean to yell; I'm shaken up. Nothing about this is natural; I just need time to process it all. Honestly, as hard as fighting other tributes will be, at least their motivation is clear. We all want the same thing to win and get out of here, but what does the forest get every time they take a piece of us? It's fighting the damn environment that's getting to me. I am going to pray or meditate if anyone wants to join me."

[Elijah uses First Aid on Vallen]
[Elijah uses a bundle of Meidcal plants on Vallen]
[Elijah gives Vallen his friendship bracelet]
[Elijah collects purified water from Quinten]

table by kaplan

knuckles
Librarian

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probably flailing over something

lost in a lullaby [feylost, day 2] Jul 1, 2023 23:50:21 GMT -5

Quote

Post by knuckles on Jul 1, 2023 23:50:21 GMT -5

♛

"Vallen, are you still with us? Can you see?"

A once vibrant, and beautiful world has turned into something dark and dreary as everything blends into one. Nothing makes sense, yet the voices grow louder, every movement echoes through his ears. What is happening? What is going on? Even raising his hands before his face brings him nothing but hopelessness. Life is hard, and these creatures, the gamemakers, everything stole away what he loved the most.

How can I build robots if I can't see anymore?

Life tosses lemons at people, and right now, Vallen is stuck, unsure of what to do. The idea of relying on others to keep him alive is terrifying. Those creatures, they tried killing him, of course, that's their job, but why? Why did it choose him when three others were standing around?

"If you can't see, I'm going to sit you down on this rock and try fixing you up a bit. It won't be much, but hopefully, it'll be enough to close the wounds."

He feels Elijah's hands on his shoulders guiding him to a rock, and even when Vallen opens his eyes, nothing is coming through. Everything is a dim blur, and it's disheartening. His parents warned him that one day he'd regret not spending time with them, and even if he makes it home alive, would the Capitol even fix his eyes? Would they make it to where he can see just as perfect as before? Would it always serve as a constant reminder?

Vallen doesn't move as Elijah mends him, and he tries staring off into the distance trying to make out the world within the games, but it doesn't compare to anything like it was before. Elijah places some bandages on his face and tries mending the wounds to the best of his ability, and while Vallen is grateful, it won't ever be enough. The friendship bracelet starts helping a bit, yet it doesn't do anything to actually save him.

"Thank you, Elijah. I really appreciate it."

Staying still on the rocks, he listens as his allies start talking to one another, and their words make no sense to him. All he wants is to wake up in his own bed and all of this be just a horrific nightmare, but it is a nightmare. Every waking second is filled with dread - how am I supposed to survive?

A single tear rolls down his cheek.

The games always steals something from everyone, and Vallen hopes that this is the only thing it takes. As long as his heart is still beating, and his lungs expanding, he knows adjusting to a life outside the games as a victor is always possible.

table by kaplan