The Longest Thread (Misadventures)

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Just now, echo74 said:

She vanished again, but her wails still echoed around the cavern.

Tam covered her ears.

[TwinStorm He/Him]

3 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

Holt's eyes went wide, and he retreated further into the canopy.

 I know.

-

She cringed.

What else am I supposed to do? Shoe's here, Bat's family is here . . . my whole life is in the Thread, Cricket!

"Go. Away."

-

"I don't know! Does Shoe even know? Know the truth?"

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Just now, TwinStorm said:

"Go. Away."

-

"I don't know! Does Shoe even know? Know the truth?"

No.

-

. . . He does.

[TwinStorm He/Him]

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

No.

-

. . . He does.

". . . please?"

-

"And he's just content? How can he be so content?" he cried, realizing the answer even as he asked the question. He had Beosta. He was happy.

[kajsa ㅇㅅㅇ she/her]

6 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

Holt's eyes went wide, and he retreated further into the canopy.

She cringed.

5 minutes ago, echo74 said:

Jay grabbed her hand. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Get off me and leave my tree alone! I don't want to hurt you!"

[echo74 she/her]

1 minute ago, Kajsa said:

She cringed.

"Get off me and leave my tree alone! I don't want to hurt you!"

Jay didn't want to leave yet. "I'm not going to hurt your tree! Look around, all the other trees are sick or dying. I may be a woodsman, but I know a thing or two about caring for trees. You need to watch for signs on this one, so it doesn't get sick too. The tree is important to you, no?"

[kajsa ㅇㅅㅇ she/her]

Just now, echo74 said:

Jay didn't want to leave yet. "I'm not going to hurt your tree! Look around, all the other trees are sick or dying. I may be a woodsman, but I know a thing or two about caring for trees. You need to watch for signs on this one, so it doesn't get sick too. The tree is important to you, no?"

"Y-yes..." she held the Thread close to her chest. Her curse--but the only thing keeping her safe. 

[KnightSkye Reforged They/Them]

2 hours ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“Kick him with your heels.”

"Like a mere horse!? This is how you treat your grand servants!?"

[echo74 she/her]

8 minutes ago, Kajsa said:

"Y-yes..." she held the Thread close to her chest. Her curse--but the only thing keeping her safe. 

"See that branch?" He pointed to a random branch whose leaves had become speckled with disease. "You need to prune that, so it doesn't spread to the rest of the tree."

i actually don't know anything about tree diseases so uh if anyone does please correct me

[kajsa ㅇㅅㅇ she/her]

6 minutes ago, echo74 said:

"See that branch?" He pointed to a random branch whose leaves had become speckled with disease. "You need to prune that, so it doesn't spread to the rest of the tree."

i actually don't know anything about tree diseases so uh if anyone does please correct me

"N-no, but... but you don't understand! I can't change the tree! My sisters..."

[echo74 she/her]

1 minute ago, Kajsa said:

"N-no, but... but you don't understand! I can't change the tree! My sisters..."

"The tree is changing, whether you want it to or not," he said gently. "It needs to be taken care of."

[kajsa ㅇㅅㅇ she/her]

4 minutes ago, echo74 said:

"The tree is changing, whether you want it to or not," he said gently. "It needs to be taken care of."

"We can't cut it!"

[echo74 she/her]

Just now, Kajsa said:

"We can't cut it!"

"Why's that?"

[kajsa ㅇㅅㅇ she/her]

1 minute ago, echo74 said:

"Why's that?"

"Because it's not time yet." She turned back to the tree, swallowing.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 hour ago, TwinStorm said:

He sighed with relief. That could've been bad. he thought, melting the stone around him in a way that didn't seem suspicious whatsoever.

-

"I... I'm a puppet. Of my Author. I'm not real."

Atreides' corpse began to glow suddenly and words appeared, carved into his body. Beware of his return. He's not gone forever, and when he returns, he'll have Crusade. Justice cannot be avoided. 

Savior Complex is gone

speaking of which...

A black sword appeared out of nowhere next to Cricket. He jumped back, tense, but the Blade merely vibrated. He waited for several seconds, watching the Blade. Then he heard a deep voice in his head. Are you going to save lives?

Save... lives? Yes. That's what I want to do.

Then take me. I can give you the power to save lives.

Re... really?

Cricket thought for a moment, of what he knew of Plotblades, and it all seemed to click together. He grabbed the blade by the hilt, pulling it out of the ground, and felt power rush through him. Save lives. the Blade said. A command. Cricket found himself grinning. This Blade was exactly what he needed.

@Halcyon The Only

“The heck is that?” Rose asked. 

1 hour ago, N̶̝̦͝u̶͇̠͒́l̷̺͇͔̩̯̆͜l̸̾̿̓̚ said:

He smiled. “I will. Goodbye Dad,” he said as he led Five out of the space and onto the deck of the boat

Five held him tightly. She felt… absent. Like she didn’t exist. 

1 hour ago, Dragonheir said:

“Fine. If you think I cannot do it, I’ll try to rescue any free survivors and leave them to die.” 

Rebus blinked, still not sure why he was dead. “Did I take too long for you? You do seem to like killing off people who really should have survived, though I suppose it’s better than the other way around.” 

“Rebus! I mean it. Leave them until this all blows over. They know how to find food and water. They’ll be better off than the rest of us.”

1 hour ago, TwinStorm said:

Flex swore. 

-

"What do you mean? I mean... I am real, I guess, that's not my problem... it's just... my life has been engineered by my Author. The hunters, Welderan, all of that. All to make me suffer."

-

"It's a Plotblade. It's gonna help me save lives."

A man appeared in front of Rebus, translucent, seemingly made of mist, looking ghostly in the light. He must've been barely sixteen, with red hair. "Rebus. How... you play a different game than everybody else. You play on a grander scale. You're risking more than the characters."

OOH FANCY 

Hehe imma crash your party just for fun 

1 hour ago, Dragonheir said:

“Ah, @TwinStorm in the literary ‘flesh’. It’s good to meet you.” Rebus smiled at the Author. “I risk more than characters because I am, in part, more than a character. I feel my Author writing me, and when he isn’t I suffer. If I know what he does, of course I’ll transcend this story to a more meta level. But I think I, my Author, the Thread, everyone is made better for it. Even you, now, are having Cricket wish for a way out. The way out is self-awareness; playing into what your Author wants, making yourself so interesting you’ll never be killed off. That kind of character stops being flat very quickly, and you end up with me - a self-aware idea, too intriguing to destroy, too complex and thought out change or control directly, and to good at what I do to stop or resist.“ 

1 hour ago, TwinStorm said:

"Not exactly. I have plans laid for Cricket deeper than you can imagine. He is not one to surrender to me, rather he is... defiant. As you are. You play with things you cannot imagine. Did you know, that I have discussed your fate with your Author, once, long ago, when you were barely a character?" 

"What?"

-

"C'mon! Why not? The Enullers... we can beat them! It's worth a shot, at least, to be free."

Another one appeared, also barely sixteen (but on the opposite end of the year). She was blonde and wore glasses. 

“And Cricket’s, remember! Hi guys!!” She waved at the Author and character with both hands, grinning hugely. 

45 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:"We're beyond their power! Beyond them!"

Ell oh ell, good luck buddy. DANGIT WHAT DID I DO 

35 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

". . . please?"

-

"And he's just content? How can he be so content?" he cried, realizing the answer even as he asked the question. He had Beosta. He was happy.

Aww  

21 minutes ago, KnightSkye said:

"Like a mere horse!? This is how you treat your grand servants!?"

“Yup!”

[TwinStorm He/Him]

4 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“The heck is that?” Rose asked. 

Five held him tightly. She felt… absent. Like she didn’t exist. 

“Rebus! I mean it. Leave them until this all blows over. They know how to find food and water. They’ll be better off than the rest of us.”

OOH FANCY 

Hehe imma crash your party just for fun 

Another one appeared, also barely sixteen (but on the opposite end of the year). She was blonde and wore glasses. 

“And Cricket’s, remember! Hi guys!!” She waved at the Author and character with both hands, grinning hugely. 

Ell oh ell, good luck buddy. DANGIT WHAT DID I DO 

Aww  

“Yup!”

"I've already explained." he said, slightly exasperated.

-

Stormy looked at her for a moment. "Haly? Is that you?" he said, mouth splitting into a smile.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, TwinStorm said:

"I've already explained." he said, slightly exasperated.

-

Stormy looked at her for a moment. "Haly? Is that you?" he said, mouth splitting into a smile.

"Oh. Right... sorry, I... zoned out or something." She frowned and rubbed her head. 

-

Her grin grew even wider, if that was possible. "Mmmmmmmmaybe! I'm hugging you regardless!" 

She proceeded to do so, very very tightly. 

[TwinStorm He/Him]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

"Oh. Right... sorry, I... zoned out or something." She frowned and rubbed her head. 

-

Her grin grew even wider, if that was possible. "Mmmmmmmmaybe! I'm hugging you regardless!" 

She proceeded to do so, very very tightly. 

"No, it's fine. My Author... he basically runs my life. He's all powerful, and a monster."

-

He smiled, hugging her back. "Anyways, to the matter at hand. Rebus, you're growing too reckless. Mess with the world of Authors, and... it could bring your end."

@Dragonheir

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

11 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

"No, it's fine. My Author... he basically runs my life. He's all powerful, and a monster."

-

He smiled, hugging her back. "Anyways, to the matter at hand. Rebus, you're growing too reckless. Mess with the world of Authors, and... it could bring your end."

@Dragonheir

Rose rolled her eyes. "This again? Cricket." 

-

She snickered and hit him on the shoulder. "Don't be so melodramatic!" She frowned. "I mean, you can be if you want. But you could just give him a present or something. I like giving people presents. But they never use them!" 

[echo74 she/her]

8 minutes ago, Kajsa said:

"Because it's not time yet." She turned back to the tree, swallowing.

He nodded quietly, thinking. "Here." He handed her a jar of thick green cream labeled TREE MEDICINE. "Rub this on the roots and affected branches. It'll help."

4 minutes ago, TwinStorm said:

"I've already explained." he said, slightly exasperated.

-

Stormy looked at her for a moment. "Haly? Is that you?" he said, mouth splitting into a smile.

what is this fourth wall breaking

someone explain now

[kajsa ㅇㅅㅇ she/her]

1 minute ago, echo74 said:

He nodded quietly, thinking. "Here." He handed her a jar of thick green cream labeled TREE MEDICINE. "Rub this on the roots and affected branches. It'll help."

She took it from him, not sure she could trust him yet. She could probably look into his Soul, but she was really trying not to rely on her terrible evil magic--even if it was just her job. "Thanks..."

[Existential]

28 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

Five held him tightly. She felt… absent. Like she didn’t exist.

He turned his head away from the flames, looking to Five and smiling. “Well, what now?”

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, echo74 said:

He nodded quietly, thinking. "Here." He handed her a jar of thick green cream labeled TREE MEDICINE. "Rub this on the roots and affected branches. It'll help."

what is this fourth wall breaking

someone explain now

ok so basically

some characters know the true nature of the thread

so

they know they're just text 

and anyway sometimes we like to mess with their heads a lil  

I don't think Author-Character interactions were common until the generation that started when Glass and Stormy and I took over, really 

hard to say, but it seems like it was less common

but yeah this is like the tenth time we've had direct interference

fourth or fifth time an avatar has entered the thread

like, an avatar avatar beyond just a Narrator 

[echo74 she/her]

1 minute ago, Kajsa said:

She took it from him, not sure she could trust him yet. She could probably look into his Soul, but she was really trying not to rely on her terrible evil magic--even if it was just her job. "Thanks..."

"I'm not evil," he added, sensing her unease. "Trees are my life, I don't take life lightly."

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

ok so basically

some characters know the true nature of the thread

so

they know they're just text 

and anyway sometimes we like to mess with their heads a lil  

I don't think Author-Character interactions were common until the generation that started when Glass and Stormy and I took over, really 

hard to say, but it seems like it was less common

but yeah this is like the tenth time we've had direct interference

fourth or fifth time an avatar has entered the thread

like, an avatar avatar beyond just a Narrator 

ooh cool

wait so i have a follow-up question

are there any other avatars besides narrators or authors

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, N̶̝̦͝u̶͇̠͒́l̷̺͇͔̩̯̆͜l̸̾̿̓̚ said:

He turned his head away from the flames, looking to Five and smiling. “Well, what now?”

She blinked at him. The only light in the night was that of the burning ship, burning with her mother on it. Five had remembered her face, wreathed in light and full of warmth. All that had been a lie.

Or maybe it wasn't. Maybe her mother was the kindest, warmest, most perfect person imaginable, and maybe she was the monster. 

Maybe Five had never been worthy of her love. Maybe there was something about Five... maybe she was some kind of demon. Maybe she'd done something awful...

She shrugged.