The Longest Thread (Misadventures)

[Existential]

2 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“Woah. Calm down. At least we know, right? Everything will be fine in a couple of days.” 

Five came over. “Starlight? Whats going on?” She gave him half of the blanket. 

He started to slink back down to the floor, curling up and crying. "It could've been normal. It could've been ok. But they ruined it all. Their knives and scalpels, drills and plates. it all in my head. Why won't it stop. please- stop-" he uttered frantically

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

Her eyes grew wide.

You . . . talked to . . . my Author? she said slowly, processing what that meant.

Her hands started shaking, and she shoved them in her pockets.

W-what did she say?

“I don’t remember!” He pressed his hands to his eyes. Great! Now she was even brokener.

”That’s not a word, idiot,” he snapped.

“I dunno, she said my Author solved something, and I was supposed to explain it, but I don’t know how and I haven’t practiced at all. I hardly remember what she even said.”

Just now, N̶̝̦͝u̶͇̠͒́l̷̺͇͔̩̯̆͜l̸̾̿̓̚ said:

He started to slink back down to the floor, curling up and crying. "It could've been normal. It could've been ok. But they ruined it all. Their knives and scalpels, drills and plates. it all in my head. Why won't it stop. please- stop-" he uttered frantically

Five sat down with him, carefully wrapping the blanket around his shoulders. 

“It’ll be okay,” she promised. 

[Existential]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“I don’t remember!” He pressed his hands to his eyes. Great! Now she was even brokener.

”That’s not a word, idiot,” he snapped.

“I dunno, she said my Author solved something, and I was supposed to explain it, but I don’t know how and I haven’t practiced at all. I hardly remember what she even said.”

Five sat down with him, carefully wrapping the blanket around his shoulders. 

“It’ll be okay,” she promised. 

"Nothing's okay. Nothing will ever be okay." he said through sobs "It's so loud. why is it so loud" he uttered, beginning to rock back and forth

[Through the Living Heir he/him]

11 minutes ago, NameIess said:

"I suppose you're right. But still, we should be careful." Balitan eyed Nameless nervously. "He has quite a reputation."

Mostly deserved, I assure you. I know where to find a withergeist, or at least how to find one. Nameless moved over to one of the computer screens and started typing away at it, scrolling through the results of the experiments Balitan had been performing. Catching one will be dangerous, however.

"Yes," Malevolence admitted grudgingly. "We share many traits." Lightning crackled across his body and he teleported a few feet away from Rebus. "Similarity does not imply equality. We shall see whose technology proves superior" A suit of sleek black armor appeared around Malevolence in another crackle of energy, and he levelled his blade at Rebus. "You will be forgotten long before my reign ends."

"So I've heard. He has a couple reputations, actually, though this copy of him is the first." 

"I assume so. There's something about binding a withergeist to your soul for powers - if the person binding is mind controlled, do you think that can contain one?" 

Rebus raised an eyebrow. "We really are similar. Did you see my armor, from when I was going to fight Malan?" Sleek black and white armor teleported around him as well, with a thunderclap of displaced air. Lightning crackled into it, arcs of electricity jumping up from the floor. "I never did get a change to show it off..." He summoned his blade back to his hand, holding it at his side. It glowed, now, the gems matching the orange light from the armor's seams. 

Ooh-wa-ah-ah-ah-ahh. Duh duh!  I should really be asleep, but tomorrow this will be epic. 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

5 minutes ago, N̶̝̦͝u̶͇̠͒́l̷̺͇͔̩̯̆͜l̸̾̿̓̚ said:

"Nothing's okay. Nothing will ever be okay." he said through sobs "It's so loud. why is it so loud" he uttered, beginning to rock back and forth

“It will,” she promised. “What happened?”

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“I don’t remember!” He pressed his hands to his eyes. Great! Now she was even brokener.

”That’s not a word, idiot,” he snapped.

“I dunno, she said my Author solved something, and I was supposed to explain it, but I don’t know how and I haven’t practiced at all. I hardly remember what she even said.”

She stared at him.

Then she just hugged him.

She really hoped he would hug her back.

She didn't know what else to do.

She remembered a brief moment when he'd mentioned that his Author said he was going insane, and . . . she really hoped he wasn't.

She wasn't broken- he wasn't supposed to fix her . . .

But what if she was?

Well, if she was, then he definitely was, too. He was doing- doing the exact same things she'd done a little while ago. When she was hurting like this . . .

"In . . . in the snow," she whispered, voice hoarse from not speaking for a few days.

[Existential]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

“It will,” she promised. “What happened?”

"I don't know- I- I- I don't know. It's just too much. It's all too much." he muttered through tears, images flashing by of his conditioning and all the things they did

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

She stared at him.

Then she just hugged him.

She really hoped he would hug her back.

She didn't know what else to do.

She remembered a brief moment when he'd mentioned that his Author said he was going insane, and . . . she really hoped he wasn't.

She wasn't broken- he wasn't supposed to fix her . . .

But what if she was?

Well, if she was, then he definitely was, too. He was doing- doing the exact same things she'd done a little while ago. When she was hurting like this . . .

"In . . . in the snow," she whispered, voice hoarse from not speaking for a few days.

He slumped, resting his head on her shoulder. 

Scud, why was he even trying? For anything… maybe he’d never liked her. Maybe he’d just needed her, and now she was more broken because of it. 

“—what was that?”

Just now, N̶̝̦͝u̶͇̠͒́l̷̺͇͔̩̯̆͜l̸̾̿̓̚ said:

"I don't know- I- I- I don't know. It's just too much. It's all too much." he muttered through tears, images flashing by of his conditioning and all the things they did

She hugged her half of the blanket. Then she carefully passed it off to him. 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

He slumped, resting his head on her shoulder. 

Scud, why was he even trying? For anything… maybe he’d never liked her. Maybe he’d just needed her, and now she was more broken because of it. 

“—what was that?”

"The- the snow. A while ago . . ." she said a little louder.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

"The- the snow. A while ago . . ." she said a little louder.

“Intentional?” 

Wait, she was taking. 

“You’re talking.”

[Existential]

3 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

He slumped, resting his head on her shoulder. 

Scud, why was he even trying? For anything… maybe he’d never liked her. Maybe he’d just needed her, and now she was more broken because of it. 

“—what was that?”

She hugged her half of the blanket. Then she carefully passed it off to him. 

He kept going and going until after about 15 minutes it all just stopped. He froze. He didn't do, didn't say anything.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

3 minutes ago, N̶̝̦͝u̶͇̠͒́l̷̺͇͔̩̯̆͜l̸̾̿̓̚ said:

He kept going and going until after about 15 minutes it all just stopped. He froze. He didn't do, didn't say anything.

Five stared at him.

Aden did the negpositive again. 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

10 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“Intentional?” 

Wait, she was taking. 

“You’re talking.”

She nodded, feeling hot tears spill onto her cheeks.

"I-I didn't . . . it wasn't supposed to turn out that way, at first . . . but everything just started weighing down on me as I walked, a-and I didn't-" she sniffed, shivering, "-didn't see a point anymore, so I-I just kept walking . . . and I got cut by branches, and I slipped and hit my head on a rock and it hurt-" she took a deep breath, "and it hurt but I didn't care because everything else just hurt so much more, and it stopped being cold and I figured . . . figured what was the point in going on, so I just . . . didn't- I didn't and then I got tired and it felt good to just lay there in the quiet and then- and then-"

She hugged him tighter, feeling genuinely scared.

Edited February 10, 2025 by Through The Living Glass

[Existential]

5 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

Five stared at him.

Aden did the negpositive again. 

Nothing happened. It's like a computer froze. Nothing from Starlight for about 5 minutes until he just unfroze, completely fine. Like nothing happened. "Why am I being stared at?" he asked, his voice slightly more mechanical than before

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Through The Living Glass said:

She nodded, feeling hot tears spill onto her cheeks.

"I-I didn't . . . it wasn't supposed to turn out that way, at first . . . but everything just started weighing down on me as I walked, a-and I didn't-" she sniffed, shivering, "-didn't see a point anymore, so I-I just kept walking . . . and I got cut by branches, and I slipped and hit my head on a rock and it hurt-" she took a deep breath, "and it hurt but I didn't care because everything else just hurt so much more, and it stopped being cold and I figured . . . figured what was the point in going on, so I just . . . didn't- I didn't and then I got tired and it felt good to just lay there in the quiet and then- and then-"

She hugged him tighter, feeling genuinely scared.

“I’d wondered.” 

He finally wrapped his arms around her, not trusting himself to speak. Not as broken and crazy as he was, not thinking what he was in that moment. 

So he just squeezed her carefully instead. 

1 minute ago, N̶̝̦͝u̶͇̠͒́l̷̺͇͔̩̯̆͜l̸̾̿̓̚ said:

Nothing happened. It's like a computer froze. Nothing from Starlight for about 5 minutes until he just unfroze, completely fine. Like nothing happened. "Why am I being stared at?" he asked, his voice slightly more mechanical than before

Aden licked his lips. “You just… sat there…”

[Existential]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“I’d wondered.” 

He finally wrapped his arms around her, not trusting himself to speak. Not as broken and crazy as he was, not thinking what he was in that moment. 

So he just squeezed her carefully instead. 

Aden licked his lips. “You just… sat there…”

He tipped his head in confusion. "How do you mean" he said as he stood again. He handed five half the blanket again, giving her a warm smile. "Thank you, I appreciate it." he told her solemnly

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

2 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“I’d wondered.” 

He finally wrapped his arms around her, not trusting himself to speak. Not as broken and crazy as he was, not thinking what he was in that moment. 

So he just squeezed her carefully instead. 

She wasn't done though. She took a couple deep breaths before she continued.

"B-but then- then you saved me, and I just- I woke up and I felt disappointed at first, then sad and scared because I realized I didn't want to leave you . . ." a sob escaped her throat, and she took another breath.

"A-and now I'm scared you're going to do the same thing, and I- I couldn't let you come out here alone . . . I-I don't want you t-to- I-I care about you too much to lose you now-!"

She was full on sobbing now.

"Please- please don't go anywhere. Please stay here- I need you, I don't care if you don't believe me, I just do, okay?!" she cried.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Through The Living Glass said:

She wasn't done though. She took a couple deep breaths before she continued.

"B-but then- then you saved me, and I just- I woke up and I felt disappointed at first, then sad and scared because I realized I didn't want to leave you . . ." a sob escaped her throat, and she took another breath.

"A-and now I'm scared you're going to do the same thing, and I- I couldn't let you come out here alone . . . I-I don't want you t-to- I-I care about you too much to lose you now-!"

She was full on sobbing now.

"Please- please don't go anywhere. Please stay here- I need you, I don't care if you don't believe me, I just do, okay?!" she cried.

He felt somehow distanced from the conversation. But there was nobody else around, and she was hugging him, right?

Or maybe that was just his imagination. Maybe it was Cricket she was hugging, and he’d just forgotten, like the idiot he was. 

“Me?” He asked, voice muffled by her shoulder. 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

4 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

He felt somehow distanced from the conversation. But there was nobody else around, and she was hugging him, right?

Or maybe that was just his imagination. Maybe it was Cricket she was hugging, and he’d just forgotten, like the idiot he was. 

“Me?” He asked, voice muffled by her shoulder. 

She nodded and hugged him tighter, wanting to hold him as much as she possibly could before he inevitably decided to leave her again.

Edited February 10, 2025 by Through The Living Glass

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

She nodded and hugged him tighter, wanting to hold him as much as she possibly could before he decided to leave her again.

“…oh.”

He frowned. 

“But I broke you.”

16 minutes ago, N̶̝̦͝u̶͇̠͒́l̷̺͇͔̩̯̆͜l̸̾̿̓̚ said:

He tipped his head in confusion. "How do you mean" he said as he stood again. He handed five half the blanket again, giving her a warm smile. "Thank you, I appreciate it." he told her solemnly

“You just did. And now you sound more mechanical…”

She smiled back. 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

“…oh.”

He frowned. 

“But I broke you.”

"No you didn't!" she cried, stamping her foot angrily. Who cared it if was childish, really?

"I did this to myself, Bat! FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, IT WASN'T YOU!"

[Existential]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“…oh.”

He frowned. 

“But I broke you.”

“You just did. And now you sound more mechanical…”

She smiled back. 

"I mean... The only thing I notice is I feel... whole. Like the man and the machine aren't fighting anymore. It's so quiet. It feels amazing." he told Aden. "Now Ria, how would you go about curing Five fully WITHOUT surgery?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Through The Living Glass said:

"No you didn't!" she cried, stamping her foot angrily. Who cared it if was childish, really?

"I did this to myself, Bat! FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, IT WASN'T YOU!"

“Oh, well, I couldn’t fix you. Can’t fix you. I don’t know how, you see.” He rocked back and forth with her, staring off into the trees absently. “I’ve never fixed anything beyond cuts and bruises. I probably never will.”

1 minute ago, N̶̝̦͝u̶͇̠͒́l̷̺͇͔̩̯̆͜l̸̾̿̓̚ said:

"I mean... The only thing I notice is I feel... whole. Like the man and the machine aren't fighting anymore. It's so quiet. It feels amazing." he told Aden. "Now Ria, how would you go about curing Five fully WITHOUT surgery?"

She paled. “Surgery?”

Ria sighed. “That’s not possible. She has these little machines in her, synthesizing the poison from her own body.” 

She choked. “Poison?”

[Existential]

3 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“Oh, well, I couldn’t fix you. Can’t fix you. I don’t know how, you see.” He rocked back and forth with her, staring off into the trees absently. “I’ve never fixed anything beyond cuts and bruises. I probably never will.”

She paled. “Surgery?”

Ria sighed. “That’s not possible. She has these little machines in her, synthesizing the poison from her own body.” 

She choked. “Poison?”

He smiled warmly at Five. "It will be okay, I promise. I won't let them hurt you. no surgery, no nothing." he told her softly, looking over to Ria, saying; "I don't believe that. What if you could short them? they are machines, right?"

Edited February 10, 2025 by N̶̝̦͝u̶͇̠͒́l̷̺͇͔̩̯̆͜l̸̾̿̓̚

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, N̶̝̦͝u̶͇̠͒́l̷̺͇͔̩̯̆͜l̸̾̿̓̚ said:

He smiled warmly at Five. "It will be okay, I promise. I won't let them hurt you. no surgery, no nothing." he told her softly, looking over to Ria, saying; "I don't believe that. What if you could short them? they are machines, right?"

“We could try, but their structure is resistant. It would take a very near lethal shock, and seeing how delicate the balance in her is already, I’m not risking that.”