Shrike's Ideal World 🌾 Mom Run for Moms

[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

[worthathousand]

[ .......Oh. Oh of course it is a place like this. Whether or not her influence has anything to do with it, it is exactly Shrike's sort of serenity. ]

Thank you, Shrike.
[ She bows with the added politeness of someone seeing a friend for the first time in a long while.

—Out of curiosity, what is she wearing, here in this dream? Whatever LiliS clothing she was in, or something else? ]

Re: THE ROAD

[softlyfalling]

[ she'd find herself wearing whatever she feels like she'd probably wear if she returned to Creation.

Because of course that's where they are, right? ]

Of course, well—you know I'm always glad whenever you come by. So it's good to see you again, and—

Well—would you like to come inside? Or if you want to see how the crops are coming along. I could always use your appraisal as my superior in farming, General.

[ she says it with a lightly teasing air. ]

Re: THE ROAD

[worthathousand]

[ echoing the tone ] I'm glad to hear my legend lives on.

—But the crops can wait a short while. I'm sure you have a wife I ought to meet?

Re: THE ROAD

[softlyfalling]

...I'm still married to Nero, you know.

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

[softlyfalling]

[ anyway, she immediately sets to work jimmying the fittings off of the hoe and the rake to serve as staves; they may well have originally been made from quarterstaves.

swords to ploughshares. you know. ]

...this isn't simple nostalgia, is it.

Re: THE FARM & GARDEN

[worthathousand]

No.

[ Amaranth will lend a hand, taking whichever of the two tools Shrike hasn't started on. ]

But I do want to do this in order to better consider the past.

Re: THE FARM & GARDEN

[softlyfalling]

[ she hands Amaranth the hoe, and it doesn't take her long to pop the head of the rake off and set it to the side. ]

"To better consider the past"—I'm not entirely sure what you mean.

Re: THE FARM & GARDEN

[worthathousand]

[ She, too, finishes quickly with her makeshift (restored?) quarterstaff, then tests its weight with a few relaxed twists in her hands. ]

There are things you are ignoring. Not only in your own passions, but in mine, and in others you love.

[ Amaranth takes a half-step back, settling into a readied stance. ]

I'm not sure if this is the best way to remind you, but it's certainly the most interesting.

Re: THE FARM & GARDEN

[softlyfalling]

[ wearily: ]

So be it, then.

[ she just holds it upright in her hands, for a moment, shifting her grip on it lightly as if trying to remember how it's supposed to feel...

...and then drops into a ready stance, herself. ]

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

[worthathousand]

[ pausing to appreciate the home—like the fields, so very attainable ]

Did the three of you construct this place yourselves, by any chance?

Re: THE COTTAGE

[softlyfalling]

[ proudly: ]
Oh, it's mostly my work!

Even learned a bit of woodworking—I mean, a lot of people really kindly chipped in on supplies, but... well, it's still not much to look at, I'm sure, but it's home.

Re: THE COTTAGE

[worthathousand]

It's wonderful. [ and she knows that she means it. ]
I've always known that there is so much you can accomplish when you work towards it.

...Should we sit?

Re: THE COTTAGE

[softlyfalling]

Oh, please do! I'll pull over another chair—and I can make a pot of tea, if you like.

[ she goes to get a chair from where a few others have been stacked in a corner, and motions for Amaranth to sit.

The table is modest, and wooden—unvarnished. There's a little ring where she probably puts a teacup a lot, a rough-woven placemat that was cut close-to-rectangular from a bolt of cloth.

It's set for exactly one person; there's a notebook sitting next to the singular place setting, closed. ]

Re: THE COTTAGE

[worthathousand]

[ ...Amaranth lets her hand rest gently on the notebook's cover, to feel the texture and weight of it. What does the cover look like? ]

Just one place setting? You mentioned Lark is traveling, but what about Nero?

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

[worthathousand]

[ ....Oh. ]

You know... I'd like that plot of land, I think.

Re: OUTSIDE

[softlyfalling]

Mm, well... I guess I can get it set up for you tomorrow, then.

...sorry.

Re: OUTSIDE

[worthathousand]

What for?
I'm the one who nearly cracked your skull.

Re: OUTSIDE

[softlyfalling]

Pfft.

The thing I fear most above wounds, disease, even death, is myself, you know.