Who: Mephisto and You! What: Various Top Levels for this + next month When: March-April Where: The Grove Warnings: Will come up where applicable, but body horror, violence, and missing limbs are likely.
Mm. Ain't really a sob story. You said my world must be rough, and yeah, it is.
[That's just kindof the fact of it all. It is, always has been, and he has zero hopes of anything ever improving even with the resistance. No matter if they fight back, you don't simply undo decades and generations' worth of oppression.
Mephisto's words kindof confirm exactly what he's been fearing this whole time, really. That he is still in a cage, and that the people here- though nice on the surface- could turn out to be his enemy at any moment.
...it sucks.]
But I'd take being here over there. Any fucking day of the week.
... [ Mephisto kicks his legs against the water, stirring around the mist and steam as he thinks on this a moment. ] I suppose we're in the same shitty boat, then. 'Cause it's better here for me, too. But there's no life jackets for people like us.
[ Sigh. ]
I don't like this conversation. Surely you must have something fun to say.
None taken. I think everyone is a little bit strange here. I read on the notebook some people are cookies where they are from, and there’s of course us, and it sounds like you don’t even have a planet. That’s a bit strange to me. Especially because my world, despite sounding more advanced than some of the other people here, doesn’t have any sort of space travel. [ Well. Not from Mephisto’s canon point, anyway. Haha- ]
Have you ever heard of a caladrius? It’s a type of fowlbeast.
It's not...not that we don't have a planet, exactly. It's..complicated.
[Fuck if he knows what planet he's even on anymore. Maybe he's been moved between planets in his lifetime, he wouldn't fucking know. The planetary system is vast, and the aliens can just kindof fuck off basically wherever they want, in this day and age.
They have feathers and fly. Hm... If you look at the church, there are some fowlbeasts that hang out on the roof there. It's those things.
Caladrius is a type of fowlbeast, with white feathers and are supposedly very kind and can take illness away from people. That's all just a myth, though. Caladrius are not like that. Because I'm a caladrius~
[Okay the dots are connecting now...he remembers Mephisto pointing out the feathers in his hair, and he's definitely seen more than one of the church pigeons at this point.
Till raises a brow, shifting his legs underneath the water.]
Not many people would just outright be so bold as to say "I ain't a kind person", yaknow.
[But hey, Mephisto IS holding on to that "I promise to be honest" part of the deal.]
Hmm? [ Mephisto props himself up with his hands to let himself sway from side to side. ] I wouldn't call it "bold". I'm just... aware of myself, I suppose. Besides, I already told you, it's the self-proclaimed "kind" people that you gotta watch out for.
[But would Mephisto say that about Sasha, one wonders...not that it matters anymore, since Sasha is both 1) dead and 2) not here.
Till has to concede to Mephisto having a point there. He sighs, looking up at the ceiling where the hot mist rises before dissipating.]
Yeah...I know. Just still not used to it, I guess.
[That genuineness. Not to say people being KIND isn't genuine, just...Till hardly ever believes that anyone could be kind to him, especially when all he's ever been is abused.]
You seem like you already got your shit figured out here, too. You're already making plans and stuff.
It's honestly more embarrassing that the people here haven't gone through these yet. [ They have. Shut up, Mephisto. ] But, no, making strategies and such is just a hobby of mine. I wouldn't say I have "my shit figured out" or anything like that.
[HAHA EMBARRASSING... Maybe Till's just embarrassed that Mephisto was able to construct a whole plan while the only thing constructive HE'S done so far is, uh.
Hide. In the inn...]
Well...better than just sitting around waiting to get attacked. I don't really know why they were so mad about it.
[Maybe because Mephisto was being a little rude in his wording people tend to not jive with that-]
Oh, I know why. [ Mephisto gestures around vaguely, not necessarily trying to imply the bathhouse itself, but the whole Grove. ] This is a tiny community full of people who are here against their wills. They are consistently on edge about an evil entity from the forest that has caused them many problems and even killed several of them - of which their deaths are not even permanent so there's no escaping its torment. They have attempted to make some semblance of a working system between the lot of them so they can feel safe and secure, and the slightest bit of a wrench being thrown into that system scares them.
People want you to be nice, to not try and assert yourself, to take whatever it is that's being thrown at you because it's easier that way! You won't make things worse.
But I'm not that. Especially so, since Flamebringer had made such a big deal about it in that notebook of ours. Really, I should thank him for that. Now I can skip all the niceties out of people and just go straight to the part where people are pissed about the wrench - me.
[Till listens...but even though he IS listening to what Mephisto is saying, something he just. Added in there, with no preamble, catches him so off guard that the rest is a bit of a blur. He sits forward, legs splashing a little in the water as he centers his full attention on Mephisto.]
Hang on, what did you say? How can somebody...die, and then come back?
[ Mephisto reaches around to grab his notebook from his bag, flipping through to Enciodes’ notes, clearing his throat before he reads aloud: ] “The Garden is where you'll end up if you die. Nene brings you back if you do end up here. Do not die. Do not end up here. Coming back will have you giving up something important.”
Doesn’t specify how it happens, just that it does.
[Well, judging by the look on Till's face...it's not clear if he really likes the sound of that. No, dying horribly and then waking up afterwards sounds like a fridge horror he can't fully get behind.]
[ Mephisto speaks without looking over at Till, simply stuffing his notebook back in his back. ]
That thing brought a bunch of people from different worlds and seemingly even universes. It sounds like it's extremely wrathful at that, too. So... Yeah. I'd believe it. What's better than to make sure the person your torturing truly has no escape - not even death.
[Well since Till managed to roll a nat 20 on "how does he handle this news", he will not have a panic attack over the idea that if he dies he'll just get dragged kicking and screaming back to life. We are instead going to disassociate from that thought, violently, because that's the next best solution. Because otherwise, he would sit there imagining a scenario where he needs out, but there's. No relief. No escape. Nothing.
He doesn't want to talk about it, think about it, instead just going to compartmentalize it into a little box in his brain until such a time it pops back out like a terrible jack-in-the-box. That, or maybe he'll simply not...believe it. That's also an option.
Though, maybe his complete, dead silence instead of a response is a little too telling. And this goes on for a while, long enough to indicate that thread of the conversation has more than likely trailed off.]
I....I've been working on practicing...those drawings. The ones you asked for.
[ The silence is telling. Mephisto is a bit... numb to the idea, personally. Numb to a lot of things. He didn't really think when he went spouting stuff he'd found out to Till, but...
He feels...??? Something. There's still feelings in his cold, dead heart. ]
The architecture ones, right? Unfortunately, I spoke with Heimr, and he mentioned that building by the shore would not help us. He is afraid of the ocean, but it wouldn't serve as a deterrent to get to us.
But that doesn't mean it won't come in handy. He also mentioned building the bunker and the wall for... nothing on my end. So, the possibilities are endless for buildings.
He suggested a house, though. Which... would be nice.
[Listen, it's fine! It's fine. He'll be fine. He doesn't need therapy, don't look at him. His relationship with death is just very...complicated. It's basically what his entire life has been built towards, his skills crafted to the one moment he will sing for his life.
How poignant, considering who he's talking to.
Till nods, his shoulders relaxing a little with relief that Mephisto does not call him out on changing the subject to suddenly.]
A house...
[Like, your own...entire house? To live in?? You can just DO that?]
I could probably design something like that...though it might look a little different than the houses here unless I work at it.
[ Mephisto hums, leaning back and staring at the ceiling of the bathhouse. ]
That's fine. There's no rush. I mean, unless you're really hoping for a house this soon. Just be sure we have separate rooms, and a nice kitchen. [ Mephisto, immediately assuming that this was for Till, too. ]
[...wait, what is he suggesting here? That...they have a house? Like, for just them? That's...
...
He isn't sure how to feel about the idea. On one hand, he's only just now been introduced to the thought that he can have something like that. A whole house. It's unheard of. He barely feels like the inn room he's been holed up in is "his". And yet...
Would he say he trusts Mephisto? He doesn't know. He doesn't think so. But he knows well that Mephisto isn't trying to be something he isn't. He isn't...hiding anything, like everything he is and will be is already out there for Till to make judgement calls about, and that is weirdly refreshing. It makes him feel less like he's in constant danger, weirdly enough. He's unpredictable, sure, but only in the sense that his moods change so quickly...Till is used to that, too.
To think, this kid is...probably the one person here he's the most comfortable being around. It's fucking weird that it's come to that.
Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he rubs the branded side of his neck thoughtlessly through his scarf and looks away.]
...we'll see. There's no rush, like you said. And a house is like...a lot of planning, and shit...
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[That's just kindof the fact of it all. It is, always has been, and he has zero hopes of anything ever improving even with the resistance. No matter if they fight back, you don't simply undo decades and generations' worth of oppression.
Mephisto's words kindof confirm exactly what he's been fearing this whole time, really. That he is still in a cage, and that the people here- though nice on the surface- could turn out to be his enemy at any moment.
...it sucks.]
But I'd take being here over there. Any fucking day of the week.
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[ Sigh. ]
I don't like this conversation. Surely you must have something fun to say.
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Fuck, I don't know. I didn't know what a rabbit was until I got here. Is that fun?
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Yeah. I've never seen an alien so...humanoid. So seeing people like that is...weird. ...no offense.
[Sorry Steph he's trying not to be racist-]
There's rabbits, and dogs, and...dox-solo-ges? And like this weird Hart thing-
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Have you ever heard of a caladrius? It’s a type of fowlbeast.
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[Fuck if he knows what planet he's even on anymore. Maybe he's been moved between planets in his lifetime, he wouldn't fucking know. The planetary system is vast, and the aliens can just kindof fuck off basically wherever they want, in this day and age.
...he pauses though, at Mephisto's question.]
...a. Fowlbeast?
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Caladrius is a type of fowlbeast, with white feathers and are supposedly very kind and can take illness away from people. That's all just a myth, though. Caladrius are not like that. Because I'm a caladrius~
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Till raises a brow, shifting his legs underneath the water.]
Not many people would just outright be so bold as to say "I ain't a kind person", yaknow.
[But hey, Mephisto IS holding on to that "I promise to be honest" part of the deal.]
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Kindness is often fleeting, anyway.
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Till has to concede to Mephisto having a point there. He sighs, looking up at the ceiling where the hot mist rises before dissipating.]
Yeah...I know. Just still not used to it, I guess.
[That genuineness. Not to say people being KIND isn't genuine, just...Till hardly ever believes that anyone could be kind to him, especially when all he's ever been is abused.]
You seem like you already got your shit figured out here, too. You're already making plans and stuff.
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Hide. In the inn...]
Well...better than just sitting around waiting to get attacked. I don't really know why they were so mad about it.
[Maybe because Mephisto was being a little rude in his wording people tend to not jive with that-]
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People want you to be nice, to not try and assert yourself, to take whatever it is that's being thrown at you because it's easier that way! You won't make things worse.
But I'm not that. Especially so, since Flamebringer had made such a big deal about it in that notebook of ours. Really, I should thank him for that. Now I can skip all the niceties out of people and just go straight to the part where people are pissed about the wrench - me.
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Hang on, what did you say? How can somebody...die, and then come back?
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Doesn’t specify how it happens, just that it does.
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Do you believe that?
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That thing brought a bunch of people from different worlds and seemingly even universes. It sounds like it's extremely wrathful at that, too. So... Yeah. I'd believe it. What's better than to make sure the person your torturing truly has no escape - not even death.
cw: disassociation, suicidal ideation
He doesn't want to talk about it, think about it, instead just going to compartmentalize it into a little box in his brain until such a time it pops back out like a terrible jack-in-the-box. That, or maybe he'll simply not...believe it. That's also an option.
Though, maybe his complete, dead silence instead of a response is a little too telling. And this goes on for a while, long enough to indicate that thread of the conversation has more than likely trailed off.]
I....I've been working on practicing...those drawings. The ones you asked for.
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He feels...??? Something. There's still feelings in his cold, dead heart. ]
The architecture ones, right? Unfortunately, I spoke with Heimr, and he mentioned that building by the shore would not help us. He is afraid of the ocean, but it wouldn't serve as a deterrent to get to us.
But that doesn't mean it won't come in handy. He also mentioned building the bunker and the wall for... nothing on my end. So, the possibilities are endless for buildings.
He suggested a house, though. Which... would be nice.
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How poignant, considering who he's talking to.
Till nods, his shoulders relaxing a little with relief that Mephisto does not call him out on changing the subject to suddenly.]
A house...
[Like, your own...entire house? To live in?? You can just DO that?]
I could probably design something like that...though it might look a little different than the houses here unless I work at it.
[Cause uh
Alien architecture is fucking weird]
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That's fine. There's no rush. I mean, unless you're really hoping for a house this soon. Just be sure we have separate rooms, and a nice kitchen. [ Mephisto, immediately assuming that this was for Till, too. ]
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...wh. Huh?
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...
He isn't sure how to feel about the idea. On one hand, he's only just now been introduced to the thought that he can have something like that. A whole house. It's unheard of. He barely feels like the inn room he's been holed up in is "his". And yet...
Would he say he trusts Mephisto? He doesn't know. He doesn't think so. But he knows well that Mephisto isn't trying to be something he isn't. He isn't...hiding anything, like everything he is and will be is already out there for Till to make judgement calls about, and that is weirdly refreshing. It makes him feel less like he's in constant danger, weirdly enough. He's unpredictable, sure, but only in the sense that his moods change so quickly...Till is used to that, too.
To think, this kid is...probably the one person here he's the most comfortable being around. It's fucking weird that it's come to that.
Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he rubs the branded side of his neck thoughtlessly through his scarf and looks away.]
...we'll see. There's no rush, like you said. And a house is like...a lot of planning, and shit...
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