Shrike's Ideal World 🌾 Run #4

[idolpro]

Comments

INSTRUCTIONS

[idolpro]

Your phone beeps, and displays only the following:

Once, there was a maiden...
...who was the living embodiment of everything right in the world.
While she lived, no real harm could come to anyone. Oh, wounds, disease, even death, sure. But she stood between the world and anything worse.

Shrike Plucks the Thorn from her Chest must be returned to reality, either by convincing or by changing and fracturing this dream enough that it cannot hold. Good luck.

OOC INFORMATION

[idolpro]

Full points will be awarded to anyone who convinces Shrike to leave her Ideal World.

One point each will be awarded for every major change or fracture someone creatres in the Ideal World, up to five.

You have whatever items you would have on you, except weapons. Technological items are still with you, but will not function apart from phones, which only display the above message.

Powers are off.

If you are in the same area as other characters, you can talk to them.

THE ROAD

[softlyfalling]

You're standing in the middle of a dust-covered dirt road—really more of a path, if you're being honest, leading to a small cottage with a sturdy but simple roof. Maybe big enough for two people at best, but it looks well-cared for.

Surrounding you, and as far as you can see, are fields—the ones nearest the cottage growing crops, or planted with flowers, and then further out, wild grasses as high as your head, swaying quietly in the light breeze. There's a little birdsong, if you sit still and listen long enough.

You must be at least a day's walk if not more away from any other settlements, towns—civilization in general. And yet, someone clearly still lives here.

Regardless of what direction you intended to go, the door opens with a swish of wood creaking against wood a moment later—and a familiar face pokes her head out.

Re: THE ROAD

[softlyfalling]

"Oh! I wasn't expecting you at all," says Shrike Plucks the Thorn from her Chest. "I'm not ready for guests, but..."

She smiles, gently. "I'm so glad you're here. Make yourself at home."

Re: THE ROAD

[rollplayinghouse]

[This is a more rural place than Glory has ever really been and she looks around for a moment, disoriented., before looking at the opening door.]

Ah... Shrike.

Re: THE ROAD

[nihilmancy]

[Something felt familiar about that poem...

She should have expected as much from this world, but the charm of it disarms her for a moment. Still, she needs to break this, to smash it to pieces if she has to, through persuasion or otherwise. She needs to free Shrike, no matter what.]

Shrike! It looks so nice. I'd love to get a tour of the place.

Re: THE ROAD

[unbr8kable]

...Hey. Guess you really wanted to get away from it all...?

Re: THE ROAD

[selfpreservationist]

[he just

leans against the doorway and stares at her]

THE FARM & GARDEN

[softlyfalling]

[ The actual growable area is pretty modest—there's a bed of flowers, mostly what seem like local wildflowers. Bright colors in a rainbow of hues, tall stalks and short stalks, manicured only a little.

Behind them there's a bed of bok choy, and some wheat, and herbs like cilantro and green onions. Tomatoes, a small field of soybeans... the kinds of things you need to be self-sufficient.

Near the edge of the growing area, there's a tidy area with farm tools put away—a hoe, a rake, a small scythe for cutting crops, a shovel, shears. All in good shape. In some cases, rather sharp edges.

In the yard, there's also a well, with a single wooden bucket swaying in the wind. ]

Re: THE FARM & GARDEN

[nihilmancy]

Ahh, it's so beautiful. Do you mind if I have a look around?

[She goes along to look at the flowers, taking a deep sniff.

A world like this... she has to fight hard to remember what she might do. It's not exactly what she wants, but living like this with her, would be so pretty wouldn't it?]

Re: THE FARM & GARDEN

[softlyfalling]

Oh, absolutely—I mean, my home is your home, whenever you're here.

[ the flowers are, in fact, absolutely lovely. ]

THE COTTAGE

[softlyfalling]

[ You head inside the cottage, following Shrike. The decoration's pretty sparse—mostly limited to a little wooden board next to the door where she's pinned up what looks like letters and photos. There's a number of little gifts on a side table there, too, partially-opened—like they came from visitors.

It's really... mostly one room—a small table for eating in the center of the room, with one chair at it and a few others pushed to the side, out of the way.

A curtained-off area looks like it has a sleeping mat and a small chest of drawers behind it. The only other real room is through a door to the side with a kitchen. ]

Re: THE COTTAGE

[rollplayinghouse]

[glancing at the gifts on the side table]

Ah, I didn't bring anything...

Re: THE COTTAGE

[selfpreservationist]

[examines the wooden board for more information--anything from people he recognizes?]

Re: THE COTTAGE

[nihilmancy]

[She comes inside, and glances at the table of gifts.]

Ah, this is nice. How long have you been living here?

ANNOUNCEMENT

[softlyfalling]

[ the air sort of... thickens with humidity, and the clouds gather, a bit... like a summer storm brewing on the horizon, or something like that. ]

ANNOUNCEMENT

[softlyfalling]

[ the clouds in the sky thicken, and it gets a little bit darker; the birdsong becomes kind of a cacophonous racket outside. ]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT

[nihilmancy]

[...welp.]

ANNOUNCEMENT

[softlyfalling]

[ god this isn't connected to any one thing because you're all just yelling YOU IDIOT SANDWICH but

there's a low, heavy rumble of thunder, and on either side of the sky, something that looks like lightning lances across the scenery, leaving empty blackness in its wake, like a crack in the world. ]

ANNOUNCEMENT

[softlyfalling]

[ there's a sort of... moment of silence

and everything just... pauses. and there's a low, muffled clap of thunder, and the rain starts—

...but it's not a torrential rain, like you might have expected from the ominous clouds. the clouds, in fact, lighten to a gentle grey, as a light, slightly-warm rain begins to fall.

any injuries received fade; the black scars melt away from the sky; and then, very slowly, the scenery melts away along with it, leaving a pure white in its wake. ]

OUTSIDE

[softlyfalling]

[ The world has kind of fallen away, leaving everything empty... not to the black of nothingness, but even the black of the night sky has cracked through to a blank white everything. Like an empty canvas. ]

Re: OUTSIDE

[rollplayinghouse]

[Glory's hands tighten.]

This is...

Re: OUTSIDE

[selfpreservationist]

[he stares up at the sky for a moment, and then back at shrike]

You've done it, then.

Re: OUTSIDE

[unbr8kable]

[Looking around, a little wary]

Is this...good...?

Re: OUTSIDE

[nihilmancy]

Hey there. How do you feel?