Event: Mirror Image

[trainmasters]

Who: everyone!
When: Day 19 evening and on
Where: outside

[As darkness falls in the jungle, an unusually chill breeze rustles through the trees. In its wake is silence, the purified fauna going quiet as if in dread.

Is it just you, or is the night darker tonight?

You may find the cause if you leave the train. Those who are caught alone outside will see the shadows grow suddenly long. The darkness coalesces into a vaguely human form, vague and faceless but radiating cold.

Before you can react the shadows surround you. Deep within, your most bitter, unpleasant feelings rise up in your chest. It's overwhelming, threatening to consume you, but just before it can it suddenly stops. The shadows recoil, dissipating into the jungle.

You're safe, but those negative feelings might be closer to the surface than usual.

Good luck, especially if you're one of the newbies just waking up.]

[NOTES: This event will OOCly end on Wednesday, but feel free to ICly push time forward as much as you like. There will be a followup post at that time, and you can schedule player-run trials any time after.

The emotional effect of this event can be as severe as you want. Your character could just be a bit grumpy, or they could find their emotions totally out of control. The effect lasts a couple of hours or until the character counters it with happier feelings.]

Comments

[desirestruth]

And let you hurt yourself? Let you hurt anyone else? [She grabs for the other hand, holding it away and apart, picking up Hlasoh so she's at eye level.]

What do you think you're going to do with that?

[nihilmancy]

[Dimly she starts to recognize what's going on, but she can't yet- she's still afraid, she still feels betrayed-]

W-Why did you attack me?! Why are you trying to control me?

[desirestruth]

Because you're losing control.

[Right she's just gonna dangle here until you are feeling less stabby.]

I can stop you. Do you think Kiryuu could? Crow could? How do you think that would end?

[nihilmancy]

[She struggles for a moment, and the she realizes who is in front of her, who the names Kiryuu and Crow refer to, and she goes limp. Ah, and she's bleeding too. Oh.

But the Curse keeps churning inside of her, relentlessly. There's a look of terrible pain and fear on her face, a different type of fear than before. An existential sort of dread.]

I- N-No... It can't be taking control like this so soon, so why-

[desirestruth]

I don't know.

[Right, she's stopped struggling. Naeva's just slinging her over her shoulder and heading inside. She has a Plan. It's not a good plan but it's hers so here we go.]

But we have to deal with what's happening before the why.

[nihilmancy]

[She can't bring herself to be ashamed or flustered or anything else right now, because she's afraid. Afraid that the Abyssal magic will take control of her, turn into a monster, erase who she is. She's so afraid.]

[desirestruth]

[Well, naeva takes her to licorice's car because I don't know if Lucien's passed out in his car or in Naeva's, and dropped down in a chair briefly before Naeva pulls all the blankets off the bed and just.

Swaddles Hlasoh in them. Tight enough to bind movement, or so she hopes.]

Can you break out of that or do I need more.

[nihilmancy]

I won't attack again. D-Don't imprison me.

[But she doesn't struggle. She just looks numb and far away.]

[desirestruth]

The blankets make the second part easier.

[The second part?

Oh. She just turned into a jackal. Hopped up and just. flopped on her.

you're trapped.]

[nihilmancy]

...I appreciate this, but don't bind me. It brings up very bad memories. Wake up screaming nightmare sort of memories.

[desirestruth]

Pop your elbows out and wiggle your arms up, it'll loosen the blankets.

[Gently papping her face with a paw.] Then go to sleep.

[nihilmancy]

[She does so, but squirms some more.]

Um, I appreciate your concern, but I'm not going to attack again. I'm, um- just tired right now. But I'd rather not be constrained like this. P-Please.

[desirestruth]

[BIG HEAVY DOG SIGH. She rolls over, grabs the edge of the blanket in her teeth, and pulls it right out.

She made sure Hlasoh would be rolled out towards the wall and not onto the floor.]

[nihilmancy]

...Sorry. Um.

[She sighs as well. The anxiety is too thick and oppressive for her to sleep.]

I think I mentioned being imprisoned before, and er, mind-control magic, so there are things that have a very bad reaction to.

[desirestruth]

[WUMP. DOG ON YOU.

...or, well, next to you. Look, she is tired and you burned her it's naptime.]

It was your blood, not your mind.

[nihilmancy]

[Guilt and anxiety bubble up in her mind, as she reflects on what has happened.]

Well, it felt like you were trying to control me. But, I imagine that was partially your instincts as well.

I saw something outside. Maybe that was Malice, and it was strengthening the power of the Abyssal Curse.