The Longest Thread (Misadventures)

[TwinStorm He/Him]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

 

“Yeah, people kinda suck.”

"Yeah." he said softly. "People are monsters."

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

4 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

Tam. he said urgently. Is something going on? I need to know.

I- I DON'T- YES, YES, EVERYTHING WENT WRONG, CRICKET! she cried, distressed.

BAT DISAPPEARED WHILE WE WERE TALKING JUST NOW AND I'M AFRAID HE'S GOING TO HURT HIMSELF AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE WENT AND I CAN'T GET TO HIM- PLEASE HELP!

BAT?! she cried though her and Bat's connection.

[TwinStorm He/Him]

3 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

I- I DON'T- YES, YES, EVERYTHING WENT WRONG, CRICKET! she cried, distressed.

BAT DISAPPEARED WHILE WE WERE TALKING JUST NOW AND I'M AFRAID HE'S GOING TO HURT HIMSELF AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE WENT AND I CAN'T GET TO HIM- PLEASE HELP!

BAT?! she cried though her and Bat's connection.

He sighed. "I'll be back." he whispered to Rose, teleporting to Tam's location. "Hey." he said softly, but with urgency. "What happened, exactly?"

@Halcyon The Only

Edited January 31, 2025 by TwinStorm

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

"Yeah." he said softly. "People are monsters."

"Kinda cool, though. How people can... limit their monster-ness." 

1 minute ago, Through The Living Glass said:

I- I DON'T- YES, YES, EVERYTHING WENT WRONG, CRICKET! she cried, distressed.

BAT DISAPPEARED WHILE WE WERE TALKING JUST NOW AND I'M AFRAID HE'S GOING TO HURT HIMSELF AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE WENT AND I CAN'T GET TO HIM- PLEASE HELP!

BAT?! she cried though her and Bat's connection.

He's switched off the radio by this point. Gimme a minute. 

Just now, TwinStorm said:

He sighed. "I'll be back." he whispered to Rose, teleporting to Tam's location. "Hey." he said softly, with urgency. "What happened, exactly?"

@Halcyon The Only

She pressed her lips together. 

[TwinStorm He/Him]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

"Kinda cool, though. How people can... limit their monster-ness." 

He's switched off the radio by this point. Gimme a minute. 

She pressed her lips together. 

"Yeah. That's what separates us from the beasts, after all. Our control."

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, TwinStorm said:

"Yeah. That's what separates us from the beasts, after all. Our control."

"Sometimes being the monster is better than failing, anyway." 

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

1 hour ago, Halcyon The Only said:

Ruia smiled and stood up, rolling her shoulder and flexing her fingers. 

The arm works fine, even moving perhaps with more force than it would before. The room is pretty small, effective just a bed and a door. 

18 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

"I won't tell you my secrets." he said, catching Rebus' fist and twisting it.

The wrist twists, cracking and beginning to crumble into nanomachines. “Unfortunate. Your blade is rather interesting, especially given that your first act with it is to try to kill me.” He swings his knife at the hand holding his fist. 

[TwinStorm He/Him]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

"Sometimes being the monster is better than failing, anyway." 

"What... I don't think so. Sometimes we fall. And we have to be better."

Just now, Dragonheir said:

The arm works fine, even moving perhaps with more force than it would before. The room is pretty small, effective just a bed and a door. 

The wrist twists, cracking and beginning to crumble into nanomachines. “Unfortunate. Your blade is rather interesting, especially given that your first act with it is to try to kill me.” He swings his knife at the hand holding his fist. 

Atreides released the arm, and leapt backwards from Rebus.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, Dragonheir said:

The arm works fine, even moving perhaps with more force than it would before. The room is pretty small, effective just a bed and a door. 

She moved to the door and tried the knob. 

1 minute ago, TwinStorm said:

"What... I don't think so. Sometimes we fall. And we have to be better."

"Of course. That's the whole point." 

[TwinStorm He/Him]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

She moved to the door and tried the knob. 

"Of course. That's the whole point." 

"Yeah, but... I don't feel like I've been rising. I feel like I'm cresting small hills, and falling into holes."

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

9 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

He's switched off the radio by this point. Gimme a minute. 

I thought so :PP

10 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

He sighed. "I'll be back." he whispered to Rose, teleporting to Tam's location. "Hey." he said softly, with urgency. "What happened, exactly?"

@Halcyon The Only

She was no longer invisible, at least.

Her eyes were red and puffy, tears trails streaking down her splotchy face. Her clothing was streaked with dirt and mud and dead leaves, as was her hair.

She ran to him and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling his face down to hers.

"CRICKET, YOU GOTTA FIND BAT, PLEASE," she begged.

Edited January 31, 2025 by Through The Living Glass

[TwinStorm He/Him]

3 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

I thought so :PP

She was no longer invisible, at least.

Her eyes were red and puffy, tears trails streaking down her splotchy face. Her clothing was streaked with dirt and mud and dead leaves, as was her hair.

She ran to him and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling his face down to hers.

"CRICKET, YOU GOTTA FIND BAT, PLEASE," she begged.

He grabbed her in a tight but short hug. "I will."

gotta go

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Just now, TwinStorm said:

He grabbed her in a tight but short hug. "I will."

gotta go

AW WHAT

aw maaaaaaan

"PLEASE, please," she sobbed into his chest as he hugged her.

"I'm- I'm afraid that he's- he's going t-to hurt himself and I-" she hiccuped, gasping for breath.

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

Just now, TwinStorm said:

Atreides released the arm, and leapt backwards from Rebus.

Rebus’s arm twists back to normal, and he deactivates the force field generator. “Shall we name more interesting conditions?” 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

7 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

"Yeah, but... I don't feel like I've been rising. I feel like I'm cresting small hills, and falling into holes."

"As long as you're trying, that's some progress."

2 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

He grabbed her in a tight but short hug. "I will."

gotta go

Scud u 

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

11 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

She moved to the door and tried the knob. 

It opens into a chaotic room, numerous people similarly augmented eating at tables. Some are laughing and joking, but some eat in mournful silence. 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

20 minutes ago, Dragonheir said:

It opens into a chaotic room, numerous people similarly augmented eating at tables. Some are laughing and joking, but some eat in mournful silence. 

She stepped through and joined the merriest crew she could find, plopping down at the empty place. "Hey, dudes!"

never thought i'd write ruia saying that 

[TwinStorm He/Him]

31 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

AW WHAT

aw maaaaaaan

"PLEASE, please," she sobbed into his chest as he hugged her.

"I'm- I'm afraid that he's- he's going t-to hurt himself and I-" she hiccuped, gasping for breath.

"I will." he said firmly, but gently, patting her on the back. "Just... don't do anything stupid. I'll be right back. I'll get him, I swear."

31 minutes ago, Dragonheir said:

Rebus’s arm twists back to normal, and he deactivates the force field generator. “Shall we name more interesting conditions?” 

"Blade to Blade. A fair duel."

30 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

"As long as you're trying, that's some progress."

Scud u 

"Thanks."

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 hour ago, Through The Living Glass said:

DO WHAT?! BAT, NO, WAIT, PLEASE COME BACK! she screamed at him, full-on panicking.

She tried to go to him, but- there must not have been a defined location, as she found she couldn't.

BAT, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS, PLEASE- I STILL NEED YOU, COME BACK, she wailed.

He switched off the radio. 

"She's not real anyway," he said aloud. "And neither am I."

He stepped up to the edge of the cliff. It was darker than he'd expected. Apparently nobody had renewed the lights in this cavern for a long time. Still, he could see the rippling water below. 

A single light winked into existence, right over the water, just above his head. It pulsed, glowing with a kind of light that he couldn't have described had he needed to. 

"There you are." He felt a slow, manic grin spread across his face. "Well, you're too late now. A light? Really? You think that'll be enough?" He edged closer to the cliff so his shoes were just hanging off, his scuffs making pebbles fall to the ground below. "I won't be yours any longer. I'm mine now. Huh? Or do you just want me to be a blank slate to write in whatever you want?"

He stared the light down. "You can either make me back down and prove what I've been thinking all along, or you can let me make my own decision. Let me be my own person." 

He had to hurry. Tam would be here any second...

"This isn't what you want." 

He froze at the voice. It sent shivers down his spine... female, it sounded... so normal. Maybe even nervous. 

The light bobbed, elongating into the form of an elegant golden dragon small enough to wrap around his wrist. He shied away, but she didn't come any closer. 

"You did start as a blank slate," she admitted. "But that's how we all began. We grow from a baby into a person, until we're able to understand who we are and what we want. You... I know you're only a character. But somehow, it's... almost hard to believe it. I understand you." 

She moved closer, timidly. Bat found himself unable to move, not sure why he was shivering. 

"Oh, sorry--- I promise I'm not scary," she said hurriedly, and stopped glowing. The cave was dark for a minute, and Bat stepped back, anticipating some creature flying out to attack him. 

"Scud," the dragon said, and the cavern was light again, even though she wasn't glowing. "Sorry. Uh... anyway. Scuddit, I lost my momentum." 

Gosh idk what I'm doing  

Bat stared at it, then swallowed. Focus. "I'm just a character. You're just playing with me! That's... I can't do it." 

The dragon floated closer. "Well... I am. I know. But it's because I want to understand you. And because you make me happy. I want to see where you end up." 

"You know where I'll end up," he accused. 

"I have ideas. But I don't know. The whole entire time you've been here has been me figuring out who you are." 

"I'm your character," he spat. 

"That doesn't mean I know everything about you! I don't even know everything about myself." She paused, and when she continued, it was quieter. "That's why you exist. At first you were just a character, but... I grew to love you. I came to understand you through the lens of myself, and I understand myself more the more I understand you. I can't even begin to explain the things you've taught me." 

He clutched his bag. "So you have been using me." 

"Yes and no. I gave you life selfishly. Everything I do is selfish. But that doesn't stop me from being able to write you. I've given you as much agency as I can--- a real sense of self. I know who you are, and I'm not about to compromise that just so I can put you in a funny situation." She settled on his shoulder, and he stiffened. When had she gotten so close? "I know things you don't even know yet. I see everything you are. I see... how you are on the inside, the things you don't tell anyone yet. Everything you push down is making you go insane." 

He blinked. "Insane?" He was... going insane? 

"I don't want you to go insane, but I won't stop you." She was warm, strangely warm. "If that's where you go, I'll follow you." 

He sat down on the edge. "You let me come here." 

She was quiet for a moment. "I've been here myself. In a sense. Maybe not quite so close. But yes, I've been here.

He stared down at the water. "I guess that makes sense, then." 

They stared together for several seconds at least. 

"You're as real as I can make you," she said softly. "I wish I could give you the ability to write yourself somehow. But... I promise I'm doing my best. And if you'll stay... I promise we'll both be better for it." 

He tried to summon that fire from earlier, the determination to not play into her hands, but.... that was gone. 

"And if you ever change your mind," she added, "And decide this is something you need to do... I'd try to stop you, but I'd never subvert your character. Not directly."

The cave dripped, echoing with silence. And he felt something deeper, something that understood. 

"Okay," he whispered. 

She hopped down onto his knee and pressed a small square of paper into his hand. Then she was gone, and the cave returned to dimness. 

Well, sorry bou' tha'

No I'm not spoilering it cuz I'm too lazy 

 

17 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

"Thanks."

"I'm going back to the cabin before I freeze."

Edited January 31, 2025 by Halcyon The Only

[TwinStorm He/Him]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

He switched off the radio. 

"She's not real anyway," he said aloud. "And neither am I."

He stepped up to the edge of the cliff. It was darker than he'd expected. Apparently nobody had renewed the lights in this cavern for a long time. Still, he could see the rippling water below. 

A single light winked into existence, right over the water, just above his head. It pulsed, glowing with a kind of light that he couldn't have described had he needed to. 

"There you are." He felt a slow, manic grin spread across his face. "Well, you're too late now. A light? Really? You think that'll be enough?" He edged closer to the cliff so his shoes were just hanging off, his scuffs making pebbles fall to the ground below. "I won't be yours any longer. I'm mine now. Huh? Or do you just want me to be a blank slate to write in whatever you want?"

He stared the light down. "You can either make me back down and prove what I've been thinking all along, or you can let me make my own decision. Let me be my own person." 

He had to hurry. Tam would be here any second...

"This isn't what you want." 

He froze at the voice. It sent shivers down his spine... female, it sounded... so normal. Maybe even nervous. 

The light bobbed, elongating into the form of an elegant golden dragon small enough to wrap around his wrist. He shied away, but she didn't come any closer. 

"You did start as a blank slate," she admitted. "But that's how we all began. We grow from a baby into a person, until we're able to understand who we are and what we want. You... I know you're only a character. But somehow, it's... almost hard to believe it. I understand you." 

She moved closer, timidly. Bat found himself unable to move, not sure why he was shivering. 

"Oh, sorry--- I promise I'm not scary," she said hurriedly, and stopped glowing. The cave was dark for a minute, and Bat stepped back, anticipating some creature flying out to attack him. 

"Scud," the dragon said, and the cavern was light again, even though she wasn't glowing. "Sorry. Uh... anyway. Scuddit, I lost my momentum." 

Gosh idk what I'm doing  

Bat stared at it, then swallowed. Focus. "I'm just a character. You're just playing with me! That's... I can't do it." 

The dragon floated closer. "Well... I am. I know. But it's because I want to understand you. And because you make me happy. I want to see where you end up." 

"You know where I'll end up," he accused. 

"I have ideas. But I don't know. The whole entire time you've been here has been me figuring out who you are." 

"I'm your character," he spat. 

"That doesn't mean I know everything about you! I don't even know everything about myself." She paused, and when she continued, it was quieter. "That's why you exist. At first you were just a character, but... I grew to love you. I came to understand you through the lens of myself, and I understand myself more the more I understand you. I can't even begin to explain the things you've taught me." 

He clutched his bag. "So you have been using me." 

"Yes and no. I gave you life selfishly. Everything I do is selfish. But that doesn't stop me from being able to write you. I've given you as much agency as I can--- a real sense of self. I know who you are, and I'm not about to compromise that just so I can put you in a funny situation." She settled on his shoulder, and he stiffened. When had she gotten so close? "I know things you don't even know yet. I see everything you are. I see... how you are on the inside, the things you don't tell anyone yet. Everything you push down is making you go insane." 

He blinked. "Insane?" He was... going insane? 

"I don't want you to go insane, but I won't stop you." She was warm, strangely warm. "If that's where you go, I'll follow you." 

He sat down on the edge. "You let me come here." 

She was quiet for a moment. "I've been here myself. In a sense. Maybe not quite so close. But yes, I've been here.

He stared down at the water. "I guess that makes sense, then." 

They stared together for several seconds at least. 

"You're as real as I can make you," she said softly. "I wish I could give you the ability to write yourself somehow. But... I promise I'm doing my best. And if you'll stay... I promise we'll both be better for it." 

He tried to summon that fire from earlier, the determination to not play into her hands, but.... that was gone. 

"And if you ever change your mind," she added, "And decide this is something you need to do... I'd try to stop you, but I'd never subvert your character. Not directly."

The cave dripped, echoing with silence. And he felt something deeper, something that understood. 

"Okay," he whispered. 

She hopped down onto his knee and pressed a small square of paper into his hand. Then she was gone, and the cave returned to dimness. 

Well, sorry bou' tha'

No I'm not spoilering it cuz I'm too lazy 

 

"I'm going back to the cabin before I freeze."

Cricket tried to connect himself directly to Bat. Bat. Bat! Where are you?

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, TwinStorm said:

Cricket tried to connect himself directly to Bat. Bat. Bat! Where are you?

Unfortunately, this did not work. 

 

[TwinStorm He/Him]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

Unfortunately, this did not work. 

 

Cricket sighed, letting go of Tam. He didn't know how... he was helpless... where would Bat even go? To a cavern, maybe? But where? He was useless! He couldn't help Bat, or Tam, or... anybody. He sighed. He needed a way to find Bat, and now.

@Through The Living Glass

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

3 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

She stepped through and joined the merriest crew she could find, plopping down at the empty place. "Hey, dudes!"

never thought i'd write ruia saying that 

They slap her on the back, passing a plate of food to her. “You’re new, right? Welcome to the glorious Machination. You’re never leaving, so we might as well enjoy it!” 

4 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

"Blade to Blade. A fair duel."

Rebus nods. “I shall use only the powers of my Blade and my training.” He summons it back into his hand, hoping Atredies will take the hint and realize he could have done the same. 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

8 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

"I will." he said firmly, but gently, patting her on the back. "Just... don't do anything stupid. I'll be right back. I'll get him, I swear."

She sniffed and nodded, breathing heavily.

10 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

He switched off the radio. 

"She's not real anyway," he said aloud. "And neither am I."

He stepped up to the edge of the cliff. It was darker than he'd expected. Apparently nobody had renewed the lights in this cavern for a long time. Still, he could see the rippling water below. 

A single light winked into existence, right over the water, just above his head. It pulsed, glowing with a kind of light that he couldn't have described had he needed to. 

"There you are." He felt a slow, manic grin spread across his face. "Well, you're too late now. A light? Really? You think that'll be enough?" He edged closer to the cliff so his shoes were just hanging off, his scuffs making pebbles fall to the ground below. "I won't be yours any longer. I'm mine now. Huh? Or do you just want me to be a blank slate to write in whatever you want?"

He stared the light down. "You can either make me back down and prove what I've been thinking all along, or you can let me make my own decision. Let me be my own person." 

He had to hurry. Tam would be here any second...

"This isn't what you want." 

He froze at the voice. It sent shivers down his spine... female, it sounded... so normal. Maybe even nervous. 

The light bobbed, elongating into the form of an elegant golden dragon small enough to wrap around his wrist. He shied away, but she didn't come any closer. 

"You did start as a blank slate," she admitted. "But that's how we all began. We grow from a baby into a person, until we're able to understand who we are and what we want. You... I know you're only a character. But somehow, it's... almost hard to believe it. I understand you." 

She moved closer, timidly. Bat found himself unable to move, not sure why he was shivering. 

"Oh, sorry--- I promise I'm not scary," she said hurriedly, and stopped glowing. The cave was dark for a minute, and Bat stepped back, anticipating some creature flying out to attack him. 

"Scud," the dragon said, and the cavern was light again, even though she wasn't glowing. "Sorry. Uh... anyway. Scuddit, I lost my momentum." 

Gosh idk what I'm doing  

Bat stared at it, then swallowed. Focus. "I'm just a character. You're just playing with me! That's... I can't do it." 

The dragon floated closer. "Well... I am. I know. But it's because I want to understand you. And because you make me happy. I want to see where you end up." 

"You know where I'll end up," he accused. 

"I have ideas. But I don't know. The whole entire time you've been here has been me figuring out who you are." 

"I'm your character," he spat. 

"That doesn't mean I know everything about you! I don't even know everything about myself." She paused, and when she continued, it was quieter. "That's why you exist. At first you were just a character, but... I grew to love you. I came to understand you through the lens of myself, and I understand myself more the more I understand you. I can't even begin to explain the things you've taught me." 

He clutched his bag. "So you have been using me." 

"Yes and no. I gave you life selfishly. Everything I do is selfish. But that doesn't stop me from being able to write you. I've given you as much agency as I can--- a real sense of self. I know who you are, and I'm not about to compromise that just so I can put you in a funny situation." She settled on his shoulder, and he stiffened. When had she gotten so close? "I know things you don't even know yet. I see everything you are. I see... how you are on the inside, the things you don't tell anyone yet. Everything you push down is making you go insane." 

He blinked. "Insane?" He was... going insane? 

"I don't want you to go insane, but I won't stop you." She was warm, strangely warm. "If that's where you go, I'll follow you." 

He sat down on the edge. "You let me come here." 

She was quiet for a moment. "I've been here myself. In a sense. Maybe not quite so close. But yes, I've been here.

He stared down at the water. "I guess that makes sense, then." 

They stared together for several seconds at least. 

"You're as real as I can make you," she said softly. "I wish I could give you the ability to write yourself somehow. But... I promise I'm doing my best. And if you'll stay... I promise we'll both be better for it." 

He tried to summon that fire from earlier, the determination to not play into her hands, but.... that was gone. 

"And if you ever change your mind," she added, "And decide this is something you need to do... I'd try to stop you, but I'd never subvert your character. Not directly."

The cave dripped, echoing with silence. And he felt something deeper, something that understood. 

"Okay," he whispered. 

She hopped down onto his knee and pressed a small square of paper into his hand. Then she was gone, and the cave returned to dimness. 

Well, sorry bou' tha'

No I'm not spoilering it cuz I'm too lazy 

 

"I'm going back to the cabin before I freeze."

awww

wait that's so good

*hug*

4 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

Cricket sighed, letting go of Tam. He didn't know how... he was helpless... where would Bat even go? To a cavern, maybe? But where? He was useless! He couldn't help Bat, or Tam, or... anybody. He sighed. He needed a way to find Bat, and now.

@Through The Living Glass

She wiped her eyes.

"Can't you just . . . teleport to him or something? Yours works differently than mine . . ."

[KnightSkye Reforged They/Them]

1 hour ago, Halcyon The Only said:

She ate it very quickly and curled up on top of his head. 

Cadewyn slept, a deep, dark sleep, thankfully. 

yeah, he is just gonna sleep either till morning or something wakes him.