weep not for the memories

[brushoff]

WHO: Everybody!
WHERE: all cities
WHEN: March 4 - March 6
WHAT: it's a catch-all log, sucka! Tag here and thread around for the Dorian Ruins Everything Guilt Extravaganza part of the overall March plot. Please check out this ooc post for details!
WARNINGS: Traumatic memories. Possible talk of murder, death, blood, other nasty things. I'll try to update if the warnings needed but please use content warnings if it gets super nasty!

It starts off on March 4th, the early morning before the sun's even risen. You know those weird mirages that were hanging around the day before? Well now it's getting a little personal.

These mirages come and go seemingly for no reason. They might stay for a minute, they might stay for an hour. The images vary between person but the unifying factor is that the mirages consist of people the player characters have hurt, whether people in-game or from their homes. Whether they murdered them, slandered them, or even had a petty little argument, the unifying factor is the guilt each character feels towards or about this mirage. After all, you know you hurt them somehow. You know their existence somehow makes you feel guilty.

Another unifying factor? The creepy way these mirages just seem to stick to you. They'll follow you if you try to leave, staring you down with their creepy unblinking mirage eyes. And whoops: everybody can see said mirages. Hopefully you're not being stalked by someone you and somebody else both know, wouldn't that be awkward?

Have fun confronting your traumatizing past and/or wondering why your buddy's got some creepy ghost guy following him, imPorts!

( ooc: this is a catch-all log! Make starters of your characters getting haunted by their creepy mirages, have other people react to said creepy mirages, ???, profit. Hit me up on the ooc post if you have any questions! )

Comments

[historiology]

He...maybe. I haven't really...you're the only one I really talked to about it, Mikleo. But I can't help thinking about him.

[About what they did. How awful he feels about it even knowing that in some way, Zaveid was right and that was the only way to free Zenrus from Heldalf. That was the main loss for Sorey, in knowing in the aftermath that Mikleo and the other seraphim he had pacts with were still alive. Mikleo had that on top of his mother, on top of Sorey sleeping for some indefinite timeframe as well.

Which makes Sorey feel worse sometimes, in hindsight given all Mikleo had to push through in a matter of...what had it been, hours from seeing his mother till facing Heldalf and all? Still, a hand raises to touch Mikleo's at his shoulder.]

[circulets]

... He wouldn't want for us to forget him.

[ He understands how Sorey feels. He thinks about him every day - that moment every day - however, he knows how Sorey can let emotions get to him sometimes, can let things linger without saying anything. And that's why he's grateful that he's opening up to him now.

And for now, Mikleo will ignore his own ache to speak to Sorey about this. ]

But... he wouldn't want us to keep thinking of his memory from that moment, either. [ Mikleo cringes before he sighs a little. ] He'd likely scold the both of us for it.

[historiology]

You're right. I know. I just -- I can't forget...

[Considering it was the last moment they had together. It'd be hard, impossible for Sorey to entirely forget. Forget that the two of them had to kill the one who raised them and took them in. Taught them all they knew those seventeen years.]

[circulets]

.... You don't have to forget, but... Gramps would want us to remember the good, along with the bad.

[ It's hard for the both of them - he knows that - but, he wants to be strong for Sorey right now. Admittedly, he's... trying not to tear up right now himself - trying to keep himself together - but, he's doing it for Sorey's sake. ]

[historiology]

The good things. Like when he gave us the Celestial Record.

[There were plenty of good moments, nicer memories over the years together. That's what most of his memories of Elysia are. With Mikleo and Gramps and the others. Sorey tries to smile at the memory all the same.]

[circulets]

Just like that.

[ Upon seeing Sorey's smile, he returns the same - smiling at the memory of it. ]

Remember the first time that we snuck into the ruins in Elysia?

[historiology]

They seemed in such a panic. Until we ended up just fine and excited to tell them about the ruins. It was only after that they decided to let us read up more, and warn us about traps we might find.

[Gramps in particular had been knowledgeable on such things. And probably the one most concerned when they had snuck off like that the first time.]

[circulets]

We definitely got a mouth full from all of them. ... Though, we were so young then, it's no wonder that they were as worried as they were.

[ Gramps was always rather frightening to anger, but... Mikleo knows he did it out of love. ]

[historiology]

Yeah. I think we were...four? Five? Something like that. But I'm glad they relaxed and taught us, letting us go explore. Even if they came with us the first few times after that to keep an eye on us while teaching us about the traps and all.

[They owe the seraphim at Elysia a lot. Teaching them all that knowledge, passing on what they knew, looking out for the two boys the way they had over the years. All of them working together on it, not just leaving it to Zenrus.]

[circulets]

I don't quite think that they'd be able to stop us from exploring, even if we tried.

[ It partly is thanks to them letting explore that they do have the hobby that they do, though. ]

Though, it's also thanks to the Celestial Record that we were able to learn about all the history we talk about now.

[historiology]

Heh. I think they figured that. That's probably why they relented and taught us how to keep safe with exploring. Or....er, safer, at least.

[Considering it is never actually safe, given the traps within ruins to dissuade nosy explorers poking around. But Sorey appreciates it all the same, really.]

Yeah. The history here is completely different, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to learn from it too.

[circulets]

Most likely. No possible way to keep us completely safe. But, we learned as we explored, too.

[ He nods at his next question, looking rather excited at the prospect. Even now, he wants to know more, too. ]

It's true. Though, that's part of what makes being here exciting, isn't it? ... Gramps would want us to have this opportunity, too.

[historiology]

I thought our goal of exploring back home was a big one. But this....a whole new world. Gramps would want us to make the most of it.

[He'd always encouraged them to explore. Always had known and expected that Sorey would eventually broaden his horizons and learning by traveling outside the protection of Zenrus' domain. The human world.

This is no different, really. Just a new surrounding to explore and learn about.]

[circulets]

That's right.

[ Sorey looks like he's cheered up. He's... really glad for that. That was his goal in confronting him like this.

He looks to Gramps before looking away quickly, heart heavy once more. ]

... But, the ghost right there -- my guess is that it's an illusion.

[historiology]

I tried to -- we can't touch him. So...I think you're right, Mikleo.

[His mood seems to drop a little at that glance back to the figure of Zenrus. Sensing that the water seraph isn't handling this much if any better, but trying to cheer up and keep what Mikleo says in mind. To think of the better times they had with the elder lightning seraph.]

[circulets]

... It likely isn't an illusion arte, but... something else is making him appear.

[ And really, if they could figure out what the cause of it is, they can... try to make it disappear. Or, at least fade. ]

[historiology]

Some powers? Or some messed up technology like the Porter?

[Mikleo probably has no more idea than he does. But Sorey tries, all the same. To consider. Powers getting out of hand isn't uncommon. And there's the Porter itself as well in bringing them here. Maybe something went amiss with it?]

[circulets]

... There's no telling unless we investigate it for ourselves.

[ His hand lowers, finding Sorey's - taking it into his own and offering a squeeze. He knows that this... This can't be easy for him, though-- it's not easy for either of them. ]

[historiology]

I guess. Or if someone else does and shares what they figure out. I just...hope it stops soon.

[Talking to Mikleo -- this helps. As he reaches for the other's hand, easily entwining it and their fingers. But it's still not easy to be confronted like this about what they did. What happened to Zenrus.]

[circulets]

... Me, too. For Gramps, too.

[ His expression moves downwards, avoiding looking at Gramps. It's... hard for him, too. Still, he wanted to be strong. ]

[historiology]

Mikleo, you haven't....?

[Been seeing anyone else? Sorey doesn't think he's noticed anyone else, any other potentially familiar faces that might indicate the water seraph might be experiencing the same himself. But that doesn't mean he might not have just missed it, given his being preoccupied over seeing Zenrus again.]