auroraexpress | The Twenty-Third Trial

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The Twenty-Third Trial

Who: trialgoers etc!
When: Day 50, morning
Where: the ~trial zone~

[Another morning, another Trial! Ugh.

At least this one seems normal, starting out with a shake and the Hermit’s booming voice:]

"Good morning, Heroes. You can guess why you're being called, but before we begin I have an official statement. The Prince of Stars and associates were not responsible for yesterday's Trial. It appears the system was copied by a Malicious entity -- we apologize for any confusion and are doing our best to locate this entity and find a way to prevent any such incidents in the future.

In the meantime, we've scheduled a low-stress Trial for today to lift your spirits. With teamwork and a little silliness, let's search for unity and peace within ourselves."

[The Hermit's tent is in the clearing, awaiting your arrival.]

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I'm not here for you.

I'm here to help Felix.

[A flicker of the wings at her back, something more like flames over bat.]

Why are you suppressing him like this?

I am doing what he will not. I am taking care of us. Now, get out.

What do you mean you're taking care of you?

[ He practically roars at her in a sound that's half avian and half mammalian. ]

It means what it means. I do not have to answer to you, someone who takes what they want by force.

Really? Really? You want to play that card? [Her own magic flares a bit, and she steps forward, glaring and determined.]

Then what do you call that? [Pointing at Felix.] You're keeping him asleep, doing what you want without him even being aware. At least I told you I'd find out myself if you wouldn't tell me about the person I was worried about.

At least I gave you a chance to be peaceful about it. What choice are you giving him?!

Edited 2019-12-08 08:30 (UTC)

[ Not!Felix's wrings flare out, ice spikes appearing around them. ]

I did not do this! That trial did. His team did. I stepped in because he poisoned himself so badly that he could not stop his own teammate from maiming him. Why should I give him the chance to do that again?

[ He growls lowly again. ]

I am not keeping him asleep. It is a side effect.

And why should I believe you?!

You get violently hostile because a person wants to make sure he's okay! [Her fists curl at her side, the wings forming something more solid, looking to be made of fire now, red splashing across her face.]

I wanted to know where he was, I wanted to know if he was okay. [She steps forward.] You refused to even tell me where he was, what was wrong, and when I pushed, when I fought to find out what happened, to see if he needed help, you still refused to tell me a thing.

That doesn't sound like a protector, that sounds like a kidnapper!

I have protected us since he was a child! I AM NOT A KIDNAPPER!

[ And there goes those ice spikes straight at her as he unleashes another bestial roar ]

[Ohshi-]

[The ice connects, but it's met with a strong wall of force. Solar can't control her mental powers, but they come with strong defenses built in. She may not be able to keep memories out effectively, but more hostile effects are guarded against. And right now, she's friendshipping hard enough for her power to be holding strong.]

[The ice that would have pierced her melts almost on contact. There's enough force to make her stumble back, but she's at least not injured as she would have been if this wasn't her mental construct.]

Then what are you going to do?

You won't 'give him the chance to do that?' How are you going to do that?

Keep him locked away, keep him asleep, use his body how you will while you keep him in isolation? Never free to act, to do anything again? Just your pretty little bird to keep locked in a sunless cage?

Edited 2019-12-08 09:01 (UTC)

[ Not!Felix screeches more than roars this time, the ground beneath them splitting to create a chasm between Solar and the Felixes. The sky turns pitch black instead of the somber gray it had been before. ]

He's not a pet! YOU UNDERSTAND NOTHING!

[ He beats his wings to lift himself into the sky. He's not using anyone. He's not. She doesn't know what she's talking about. He's just keeping them safe. Like he's always done. Things are just different here. He has to do this. That last trial proved that beyond any doubt. ]

GET OUT!

[ He brings his wings together in front of him this time, launching yet another onslaught of spikes and simultaneously calling them forth from the ground beneath Solar. ]

[The onslaught comes and she has to move, it's a lot, she can feel it even before it hits and she doesn't know how strong her defenses are.]

[But she does have wings, pushing off the ground to get away from the ice on the ground, but there's still the wave he sends her way and she's pushed back, feeling the searing pain of cold, but she pulls at the fire inside her because this isn't right.]

[This isn't right.]

That's how you're treating him! Locking him away like a puppy who can't protect himself! If you hate yourself for letting him get hurt, you're only going to make it worse by hurting him yourself.

Part of why he was hurting was because he didn't understand why he was being hurt. You think he's going to understand you if you won't even talk to those who want to help him?!

[ Not!Felix is panting in rage now. More spikes primed around him. But they tremble when she mentions his failure. ]

I'm, I'm not hurting him! I'm protecting him! And what can you possibly do? You cannot change what happened.

[ He growls louder, fisting both hands ]

He understood back then. He just did not want to accept it.

...he gave me a name.

People dismissed me my first day. Over and over, it became obvious no one wanted to deal with someone not adjusting well. Most didn't even ask for my name. He did and he offered one that spoke to me.

It was such an Equestrian thing of him, to get it right so fast. Chances are even pretty high my name has to do with the Sun. It was the first bit of real familiarity I felt.

He keeps talking about friendship and people being kind and being so supportive and yeah, I think he's being naive. I think he's going to get himself hurt from that belief one day. It's why I tell him the world doesn't work like that, that people aren't all like that, that people are selfish, and I hope one day he'll believe me.

But what I do know is he's not going to get that hurt from me. Because he gave me a name. Because he's too kind for his own good. So I can at least try to help him until he gets a clue and protect him when I can. Hopefully he'll see what was about to happen and learn.

I can't change the past.

But I can help him now.

That's why I'm here. Because I want to help him.

And if you want to help him, you have to make him understand again. But locking him up isn't the way to do that. All that will do is make him powerless and afraid and lost. You want him to protect himself?

You have to give him the chance to learn to do that. Even if protect himself is learning to let others protect him.

Edited 2019-12-08 09:37 (UTC)

[ As he finally listens to her, his shoulders and head slump, as the spikes de-materialize and sky starts to return to its earlier gray. His voice is once more the heavily melancholic tone she heard once before. ]

I thought I could... I wanted to believe in his team. Thyme. That they would protect him. But he wanted to protect them more. I could not stop him...

He does not know how to let others protect him. I have only managed it by taking control. He would most likely reject me... So what am I supposed to do? Stand by and watch this happen again and again? He is not the only one it hurts.

And he never learns. Protecting is too important to him.

[Solar approaches then, slow and cautious. She still feels the pain of the last attack, but she is determined. She is going to see this through.]

Mostly likely means he hasn't yet.

Have you....talked to him? About all this? How you feel?

Does he understand you get hurt too?

[ Not!Felix remains in the air, flapping slower now ]

... he does not understand who I am. To him, I am... another side of the coin. There is nobody to get hurt.

So....like just a voice in his head?

Even with all this? [She gestures to the mindscape.]

He does not see it. Do you see your own?

I don't have two people in my head.

[....as far as she knows EVEN IF SHE SUSPECTS....]

Usually, anyway. And when I do, this happens.

Either way, it would be different. As I said, this place is mine. Nobody else is supposed to see it.

But he's here.

Because he is asleep. He would not be able to reach it on his own.

So...how DO you talk to him?

... I can't. Not here. I do not know if there is a block or I simply forgot how.

....ah.

Thus the psychological bubble.

[She looks around. Then at herself.]

[Then shrugs.]

I mean.

I can probably fix that.

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