The Longest Thread (Misadventures)

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

22 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“Thanks,” Bat said. “I’m also guessing I was born— uh, made at some point, right?”

Something like a bitter laugh came through. The Author? Oh, of course. All the problems are her fault. No, you idiot! That Author doesn’t even realize what’s happening right under their nose!

Rebus smiles at Bat. “You’re right. We’re born several times. Once literally, if your history is that in depth. Once conceptually, as your Author has the idea that will become you. Once descriptively, when you first appear on the Thread. And finally, when you actualize, become a person and personality rather than just an idea, when your Author figures out what it means to be you.” 
Rebus responds to Lady Bug, unruffled by the outburst. That is a failing. If the Authors do not notice something they themselves created, they are failing us. And if they do not notice what we do? Perhaps we can use that… 

Edited December 30, 2024 by Dragonheir
Voice clarity.

[Through the Living Elan He/Him]

1 hour ago, Dragonheir said:

“Almost.” Rebus laughs bitterly. “An apocalypse, waiting for a Dreamsmith trial to give someone the tools to fight it. A trial, something to do with Brave Adventures and Plotblades. And foreshadowing, lots of it.” He frowns. “But it is slow, and sputtering. Long ago, Plot died, I hear. But now plot is dying, and that is much worse.” 

 

1 hour ago, Dragonheir said:

“Almost.” Rebus laughs bitterly. “An apocalypse, waiting for a Dreamsmith trial to give someone the tools to fight it. A trial, something to do with Brave Adventures and Plotblades. And foreshadowing, lots of it.” He frowns. “But it is slow, and sputtering. Long ago, Plot died, I hear. But now plot is dying, and that is much worse.” 

“That is… quite the travesty…”

[TwinStorm He/Him]

3 hours ago, Dragonheir said:

Kion nods and goes off to set up a fire pit. 
Has Endings ever been dropped on-screen, so to speak? 

“I as well.” Rebus says. “Being ignored means death, so let’s find something for us to do.” 

“Yes, that is exactly how it works. You’re understanding this well.” Rebus would have spoken up to continue the conversation himself, but then he noticed something that distracted him. 

Rebus catches the anger with his Thread awareness, and sends a thought to Lady Bug. Are the Authors failing you?  

“Understood. I will watch for danger while others rest, unless one of you does not need rest.” Kion places himself somewhere he can see the whole cave entrance. 

Perseus nodded, and lay on the floor, thinking of his dead friends and family, as he fell into an unsteady sleep.

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

58 minutes ago, Ancient Elantrian said:

 

“That is… quite the travesty…”

“Yes. The large plot is sputtering, but not quite dead. If it dies fully - or simply ends - I have a plan. One small plot is alive and well, two Authors going back and forth almost indefinitely. I’ve interacted with it tangentially, and fully plan to protect it. The others, though, are stagnant. I will raise new sub-plots to join and revitalize them. But the Thread - the old Thread - hadn’t just been plot. I think chaos has a chance to help it. You were there, correct?” 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

13 hours ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

And one of them… bothered enough to create me and make my life miserable?

. . . I guess so. 

12 hours ago, Halcyon The Only said:

Just you wait, Lady Bug spat into his mind. I’m sure it only gets worse for you. It only gets worse! 

Tam stayed quiet.

12 hours ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

Cricket sighed. Thanks for the confidence.

and yeah, it does 

  Reveal hidden contents

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But then it gets better! 

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Maybe

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Poor guy.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 hours ago, Dragonheir said:

Rebus smiles at Bat. “You’re right. We’re born several times. Once literally, if your history is that in depth. Once conceptually, as your Author has the idea that will become you. Once descriptively, when you first appear on the Thread. And finally, when you actualize, become a person and personality rather than just an idea, when your Author figures out what it means to be you.” 
Rebus responds to Lady Bug, unruffled by the outburst. That is a failing. If the Authors do not notice something they themselves created, they are failing us. And if they do not notice what we do? Perhaps we can use that… 

His eyebrows drew together. "That's... kinda dizzying." 

She only laughed. 

[TwinStorm He/Him]

1 hour ago, Through The Living Glass said:

. . . I guess so. 

Tam stayed quiet.

Poor guy.

It’ll get better (hopefully)

Was… was everybody else conceived by my Author? Telse, I mean, and  Fael, and Malan?

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

It’ll get better (hopefully)

Was… was everybody else conceived by my Author? Telse, I mean, and  Fael, and Malan?

. . . Yes.

[TwinStorm He/Him]

19 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

. . . Yes.

And I”m in a… story? Like there’s a plot and everything?

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

3 minutes ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

And I”m in a… story? Like there’s a plot and everything?

. . . We all are.

[xinoehp512 he/him]

On 12/29/2024 at 3:55 PM, Dragonheir said:

Rebus smiles once again. He files away the repetition as something to address, but doesn’t say anything more. The description appears at the bottom of the screen, which has been updating with new posts. 

Rebus raises an eyebrow. “I could write my own future. What I cannot do is create an ongoing present here. The Authors are failing, and I would like to succeed. I need to stop my own oblivion, in any form it might take - stagnation of the plot and characters, being forgotten or irrevocably altered, or my own death. The Thread itself needs to stay alive for me to do so, and it is flickering, held up by a thread.” He quashes a chuckle at the pun. “I need all the allies and all the resources I can get. Real resources and allies, not my own creations or fickle patrons whose Authors simply forget me.” 

The wind chuckled. "I see. You already look with an Author's eyes."

On 12/29/2024 at 2:52 PM, Halcyon The Only said:

“V- villains?” Her eyebrows scrunched together. “I… don’t want to be a villain…” 

"Me neither, but... do you suppose any villains think they are villains?"

On 12/29/2024 at 3:59 PM, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

“No, I won’t. I’ll survive. My friends need me.” he said quietly.

I’m…. fine. Listen, Malan threatened you, said you’re being hunted. Stay safe and let me know if anything happens. Besides that, well, these… Authors, they run the Thread?

The doctor sighed. Well, it's not my place to say whether you have a place on that mission, I suppose. She looked at Prisoner. And I don't suppose we'll be getting any more out of him, at least for now.

19 hours ago, NameIess said:

"Good." Moni continued whispering as well, although she was certain Faunus could hear them. "No hero complex?"

... glanced back, for a moment to shaken to answer. "Tell them we're arguing not guilty of murder, conspiracy to claim the Plotblades, and conspiracy against the Order. But guilty of spying on the Order and resisting arrest." He paused, then continued. "It's not technically a crime to conceal things from the council and act independently, so long as it's not done with ill intent."

 

"We plead not guilty!" exclaimed Selppaenip. "Er, to some of the things. And guilty to others. The less-bad ones."

19 hours ago, NameIess said:

 

Subversion affected not to hear as she walked back to the guest room.

"Who said you were crazy?" Subversion sat down in a comfy chair and pulled out a book and quill.

 

656 gestured around vaguely. "They did. The... strange people. I heard they can solve problems like mine, but they don't believe me. They say he never existed, that I'm hallucinating. But you know! You know where he is!"

19 hours ago, NameIess said:

"I know." Palsu's looked down, brushing tears from his eyes under pretense of shifting his light blond hair out of his face. "I'll try to be on guard."

The Emperor's surroundings melt away into mist, the cloaked woman and her dread blade vanishing.

"A noble answer."  The clanging of hammer on anvil fills the Emperor's ears, resonating with the metallic tone of the voice that now speaks. "You seek to defeat evil with morals intact. A worthy goal. Now, tell me about these inhabitants of the Maelstrom."

The motion is acknowledged, but the reply is postponed to the end of the trial.

 

"Hey Haly, do you have an answer for me yet?" The traveler pops her head up next to Nogard and Haly, blue eyes downcast. "Oh, hello Nogard. Didn't see you there."

"Subversion!" said Nogard, perking up. "You made it!"

[TwinStorm He/Him]

10 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

. . . We all are.

Then… it meant something? Telse died, all of Welderan’s death, had purpose? He said, glimmers of hope shining in his eyes.

7 minutes ago, xinoehp512 said:

The wind chuckled. "I see. You already look with an Author's eyes."

"Me neither, but... do you suppose any villains think they are villains?"

The doctor sighed. Well, it's not my place to say whether you have a place on that mission, I suppose. She looked at Prisoner. And I don't suppose we'll be getting any more out of him, at least for now.

"We plead not guilty!" exclaimed Selppaenip. "Er, to some of the things. And guilty to others. The less-bad ones."

656 gestured around vaguely. "They did. The... strange people. I heard they can solve problems like mine, but they don't believe me. They say he never existed, that I'm hallucinating. But you know! You know where he is!"

"Subversion!" said Nogard, perking up. "You made it!"

“Mission?” He frowned. “What do you mean?”

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

28 minutes ago, xinoehp512 said:

"Me neither, but... do you suppose any villains think they are villains?"

She looked down at Qodi, digging her fingers into her fur. “Well, I couldn’t be a villain even if I wanted to be.”

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

2 hours ago, Halcyon The Only said:

His eyebrows drew together. "That's... kinda dizzying." 

She only laughed. 

Rebus nods. “You have time to consider it. Short times can be long, and long short. It depends how much detail they contain.” 

1 hour ago, xinoehp512 said:

The wind chuckled. "I see. You already look with an Author's eyes."

“Of course.” Rebus smirks. “I’m made for it, now. What I need from this quest is buy-in and plot. The Dreamsmith’s trial doesn’t only forge the blade earned.” He briefly considers what his trial might be, then continues. “The item is acknowledged as powerful, meaning it is allowed to destroy, to defeat. Plotblades and Dreamsmith weapons are given much more leniency than Narration, less likely to be ignored or no-selled. Too much strength, unchecked, weakens your ability to make lasting impacts.” 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

3 minutes ago, Dragonheir said:

Rebus nods. “You have time to consider it. Short times can be long, and long short. It depends how much detail they contain.”

"That's......... strange." He looked down at his tattoos.

Were they... fading? 

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

"That's......... strange." He looked down at his tattoos.

Were they... fading? 

“If three paragraphs are spent describing my appearance, seen in a single moment, it takes a long time to read and write it, so someone like me finds it lengthy. But the words ‘years later’ could be decades, but they’re only two words to me. I can get bored in seconds between sword strikes but wait years for someone, depending upon how many posts it takes up.” Rebus also looks at the tattoos. “I can check them, if you’d like. All I get is your wondering, not their actual state, but that should change while you talk to me.” 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Dragonheir said:

“If three paragraphs are spent describing my appearance, seen in a single moment, it takes a long time to read and write it, so someone like me finds it lengthy. But the words ‘years later’ could be decades, but they’re only two words to me. I can get bored in seconds between sword strikes but wait years for someone, depending upon how many posts it takes up.” Rebus also looks at the tattoos. “I can check them, if you’d like. All I get is your wondering, not their actual state, but that should change while you talk to me.” 

Bat rubbed them, frowning. "Y- yeah...... they haven't really been working lately." 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 hour ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

Then… it meant something? Telse died, all of Welderan’s death, had purpose? He said, glimmers of hope shining in his eyes.

I . . . I guess so.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 hour ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

Then… it meant something? Telse died, all of Welderan’s death, had purpose? He said, glimmers of hope shining in his eyes.

It gives Bat ngl  

[NameIess]

7 hours ago, Dragonheir said:

Kion nods and goes off to set up a fire pit. 
Has Endings ever been dropped on-screen, so to speak?

16 hours ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

“Good.” Perseus said. “We’re going to have to make camp, but move out within the hour. It’s more dangerous for us to stay in one place than be one the move.”

Moni pulls a sleeping bag for each member of the party from her pack, then lies down.

Dropped as in physically dropped? Not that I can specifically remember. Dropped as in people know it exists? yeah, a few do. Perseus included. Moni doesn't go to any effort to keep it secret.

1 hour ago, xinoehp512 said:

"We plead not guilty!" exclaimed Selppaenip. "Er, to some of the things. And guilty to others. The less-bad ones."

The Wise Judge stared at Selppaenip with utter confoundment. "Wizard," He said finally, turning his attention to the accused. "Are you certain you do not wish to request a different lawyer? This one does not seem... experienced."

The Great Wizard remained silent, and eventually the Wise Judge sighed. "Very well. Which charges do you plead guilty to?" ... stood, repeating what he'd said to Selppaenip. The Wise Judge nodded. "In that case, we shall focus our trial on those claims you have pled not guilty to. Prosecution, call your first witness."

The Adventurer's lawyer stood dramatically. "As my first witness, I call... Platypus!"
@Ookla the Arbiter

1 hour ago, xinoehp512 said:

656 gestured around vaguely. "They did. The... strange people. I heard they can solve problems like mine, but they don't believe me. They say he never existed, that I'm hallucinating. But you know! You know where he is!"

"He definitely existed." Subversion started writing in her book. "But I have no idea where he is right now, and can't find him without my Narration. Can't quite remember his lore either, aside from the dehydration problem."

1 hour ago, xinoehp512 said:

"Subversion!" said Nogard, perking up. "You made it!"

"Um... sort of, yeah." The traveler opens her mouth to tell Nogard the truth about TLT so that she could see what he came up with, then freezes. Try as she might, she finds herself completely unable to force the words out. Huh. She put safeguards in? Smart. She covered her pause with a cough. "How've you been?"

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

10 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

It gives Bat ngl  

Yeah.

I mean, I wouldn't mind if he had a positive attitude about it but like . . .

Also if they both have positive attitudes it might really help Tam, so like hey

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

54 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

Bat rubbed them, frowning. "Y- yeah...... they haven't really been working lately." 

Rebus frowns as well. “That seems problematic. Do you have any guesses why? When did they start not working?” 

44 minutes ago, NameIess said:

Moni pulls a sleeping bag for each member of the party from her pack, then lies down.

Dropped as in physically dropped? Not that I can specifically remember. Dropped as in people know it exists? yeah, a few do. Perseus included. Moni doesn't go to any effort to keep it secret.

Yeah, I’d meant physically dropped. I think the ‘so to speak’ (which was for on-screen) made the sentence more confusing, not less. 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

4 minutes ago, Dragonheir said:

Rebus frowns as well. “That seems problematic. Do you have any guesses why? When did they start not working?” 

Yeah, I’d meant physically dropped. I think the ‘so to speak’ (which was for on-screen) made the sentence more confusing, not less. 

"Well... I dunno. But Tam turned me blue a minute ago, and... I could think to her, and hear things she was sending to me." 

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

1 hour ago, Halcyon The Only said:

"Well... I dunno. But Tam turned me blue a minute ago, and... I could think to her, and hear things she was sending to me." 

“Hmm. Do you have any loose Nullite ink?” Rebus fills the screen with what he knows about Nullite: not very much. 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, Dragonheir said:

“Hmm. Do you have any loose Nullite ink?” Rebus fills the screen with what he knows about Nullite: not very much. 

"Yeah, several bottles."