Something Wicked This Way Comes

[oleaeuropaea]

Who: Vash the Stampede, Kiera, Passenger, Wolfwood, and Zahilya. Plus some others if they want
What: It's time for a homecoming. Too bad the greetings won't be so warm.
When: End of September
Where: Around the Grove
Warnings: Gore. Character Death. Possession. References to holy imagery.

[As September draws to a close, the woods seem eerily silent. It seems almost as if the birds have stopped singing. They hold their breath, fearful of a predator stalking amidst the woods. Through the brush, maybe you’ll see it — feathers that stick up like blades. Once bright white plumage has been tarnished with dirt, debris, and perhaps even blood.

But you’ll have only a second to see it. For just as soon as contact is made at the edge of the woods, the creature bursts out.

Vash the Stampede has returned to Aldric’s Grove.]

Comments

[purevanillacookie]

[ Jokes on Vash, the Minotaur already is, but he lets him pull back anyways, as he doesn't understand too much yet about Vash's further changes. Maybe it hurts to be touched. Maybe it can poison him. He won't force it.

But he doesn't move to pull back, shaking his head gently instead with him. ]

You are. I, for one, am glad of it.

[ He won't say the things Vash knows he'd say. Not right now. Vash doesn't need to hear those particular platitudes. ]

How much do you remember?

[ He hesitates then gently touches the back of Vash's hand with his finger tips. Just a light brush, a wordless offer. ]

[oleaeuropaea]

That makes one of us.

[Oh, he'll get a tongue lashing for that. But right now, Vash can't fathom why he gets to live, when two others had died by his hand. It's salt in his already burning, aching wounds. At least being sent to the garden would mean being punished as a result. It was no less than he deserved.

Briefly, Vash does consider lying to Pure Vanilla. Maybe he would have, to anyone else. He has no doubt, however, that the lie would promptly be seen through. And so he simply sighs and heaves his shoulders in a heavy shrug.]

Everything in the grove. When I was out in the forest, it was a blur. But here... everything is clear.

[purevanillacookie]

[ Perhaps surprisingly, Vash doesn't get a tongue lashing for that. Instead Vanilla just gently seeks his hand out to take it, folding his fingers around it. Vanilla understands, as horrible as that is. The desire to be punished for something you see as your fault.

There is no point in scolding Vash over it, the other is too much like him. He would be chastised but the words would also roll off like water on duck feathers. The guilt goes too deep.

So he merely rubs his thumb against Vash's hand, offering understanding. And hesitates, thoughtful. How many times has he wished to simply forget... ]

If... it becomes too much, seek Joshua out and ask him for a temporary - ah - forgetfulness.

[ Yet the words are said in a manner that suggests that Vanilla knows Vash won't take it, because he will want to punish himself with the memory. He raises Vash's hand to gently bring it to his cheek, leaning in against it. ]

I'm sorry, my dear. In more ways than words can express. If I could, I would take it from you.