phantasmalrift | DUNGEON - BELLMARE ENCLAVE (BELLMARE MOUNTAINS, PT 2)

DUNGEON - BELLMARE ENCLAVE (BELLMARE MOUNTAINS, PT 2)

The shadows are starting to grow very long as you crest his particular ridge - it's not night yet, but it will be soon. In the shadows of the afternoon, with a tall mountain already blocking the sun, lies a snow-covered valley that is different from the ones you've come across thus far in your investigation.

This valley is home to a town, and unlike all the settlements you've seen so far - Incendia, the Telovia mining town, and the manor - it's very much active. There are actual people in the streets, visible from above, going through their days on snow-free streets, bundled up against the cold.

Those of you who asked were told of the handful of people who didn't go into the slumber of stasis as the Fissure conditions of the world grew worse and worse, instead isolating themselves and trying to continue living their lives as they could. Now, it seems, you've found exactly such a group.

Welcome to the Bellmare Enclave, and enjoy your stay.

[[OOC: Welcome to part 2 of the dungeon! For the most part, interaction with the town's NPCs can be handwaved as described on the main information post. Worth noting are the following major things: The Bellmare Enclave isn't expecting visitors, though the people are generally friendly to the new arrivals. They don't know about the time dilation effect of their Fissure - to them, it's only been about eighteen years since the Slumber Plan was put in place and they withdrew from the world. And finally, by a similar token, they have no idea how far the Fissures outside of their own have grown - while it's not uncommon for them to find odd objects from time to time, they'll assume that the characters are just arrivals from other places within their own world, rather than outsiders, until told otherwise.]]

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I'll be fine. I shouldn't have thought that this place would be any different about letting me forget what I am than Auldrant was.

[A small, bitter snarl as he glances away. No, nothing would let him forget what he was. What he would always be. He hated it. He hated himself. Why did he think he would be allowed to forget?]

[She squeezes his shoulder gently. Her expression is, very clearly, asking "do you want to talk about it?"]

[A small growl indicates that no, he probably doesn't in all honesty. He hates talking about it. But after a moment his shoulders slump a little, shaking his head. The hatred is still there, but the respect he has for Akira forces some of it down]

...you ever wondered why I've never brought up the fact there's two of you here?

Yeah, I did. Didn't really ask because I figured it was none of my business.

[That vision sure did make some things click into place, though.]

[A small shrug] You could ask me whatever, I'd answer. I don't have much to hide.

[He pause's as he lifts a hand to look at, then shakes some of the lingering lightning sparks off of it] There's a science on Auldrant. Fomicry. It creates replicas, copies of things. Generally inanimate things; supplies, weapons, and the like.

And while it's forbidden to do so on people, that hasn't stopped some people. [His teeth grit] I never brought up there being two of you, because I know I've always hated being compared to him.

[The hand that isn't on Sync's shoulder clenches into a fist at the explanation.]

... Yeah, I get it. It's strange... It sort of helps to know someone understands, but... it really pisses me off that you've gone through the crap that lets you understand. The situations are still pretty different, but...

[Her smirk is kind of bitter.]

Some jackass is always gonna find a way to misuse power, no matter what it is, huh?

[That wording brings back a memory, and a bitter smile]

Auldrant had more than its fair share, that was for certain. Probably comes from being a world so obsessed with prophecies.

[Sync shakes his head, trying to clear it some. Hatred clouded his judgement, and while he can't get rid of it entirely when talking about fomicry, or Auldrant, he needs some of it to settle]

I've accepted what I am. But that'll never stop me hating it.

Yeah, I can get where you're coming from there.

["Akira Kurusu might be a universal constant, but that doesn't mean I have to like it" is a thought that's crossed her mind more than once before, after all.]

For what it's worth... [She closes her eyes, in thought.] ... Any comparison would be pointless, I think. Even if I didn't have personal reason to avoid it in the first place... doing it just seems... kind of dumb, if you ask me.

[His eyes close for a moment. If only he could believe that kind of thing]

I can't avoid it. He's a replica too. [His hands at his sides curl up tighter] The successful replica, unlike me. And I've never been allowed to forget it.

[He wasn't good enough. Wasn't strong enough with the Seventh, despite being stronger in every other way. Everything on Auldrant was designed to remind him how much no one wanted him, how little use he had to exist. Even his name was a reminder. He could never escape it]

That's such horse shit. Even if you're both replicas, your experiences have shaped you into completely different people!

[She is really starting to hate Auldrant.]

[You and Sync both, Akira]

Doesn't matter. I wasn't strong enough to replace our original when I was made. So he got chosen, and I was thrown out. It was luck that I have enough other talent for someone to find me a different purpose.

... To hell with 'em. You deserved better than that.

[... That's all she says because she's... not about to break out the sappy line that's crossing her mind.]

[And here Akira is about to find out how badly living the way he has has messed Sync up.

Because all he does is shrug]

I'm only trash, a replica hiding what I was behind a mask I never took off. I don't deserve anything.

Edited 2019-01-03 13:22 (UTC)

[It really, honestly speaks to Akira's restraint that she doesn't excuse herself to punch a wall.

Because what the hell, what kind of people have been around Sync that he legitimately believes something like this?!

(People she'd like to find and ~~snap their necks~~ punch instead of one of these cave walls, that's who.)

So instead of doing whatever she'd really, really, really like to do at the moment, despite her blood practically boiling right now, she simply takes a deep breath in, and starts counting backwards from ten in her head. She has to repeat this a couple of times before she can speak again.]

... Then I guess we'll have to agree to disagree there, won't we?

[Because right now, she has a feeling that trying to argue her point will just lead her crashing into a brick wall.]

[The time it takes her to reply tells Sync all he really needs to know. He's heard it all before, how being a failed replica didn't need to define him. He refused to believe it from the other two. Luke and Ion had no idea of what he'd been through. They had no right to say such things to him, to assume that he was like them. He was nothing like them.

However Akira doesn't say as much, and for that, Sync is thankful. His anger at the memory still simmers beneath the surface, and could easily unleash on her if his temper took control again]

Probably. I've found a couple of people don't seem to agree with it. Wouldn't be surprised if most of the people here didn't.

I figure it's really not worth trying to argue about it, especially at a time like this. We might as well save our energy and breath for more important things, you know?

[It doesn't make her any less angry about it, but it's something she can put on hold for now, at the very least.]

[He glances up at Akira for a moment, thinking on that. Before looking forward again with a slight smirk]

I knew there was a reason I liked you. You're actually smart, unlike every other idiot I've had to deal with.

[Sync doesn't do 'thanks' or the visible show relief thing. But for anyone who knew him, they would realise this was his way of showing his gratitude at not having to argue about it.

Even if he still is a tiny bit of a shitchild when he does so]

[She smiles and slides her hands into her pockets. She knows.]

Well, I try my best.

You do better than most. The amount of people who don't know that there's a time and place to an argument is astounding.

[This is much easier to deal with. Thinking back on his days as a God-General helps him forget. There it hadn't mattered as much as to what he was. It just mattered that he was good at his job]

Did you have to deal with that a lot? As a God-General.

Often enough that I know there was usually a betting pool around it. [He can't help being a little amused by that] The soldiers in my division knew to listen when I spoke, but any time I had to work with others, there'd usually be some idiot who wouldn't accept that I outranked him.

[She snickers.]

I imagine putting those types in their place was pretty fun on its own?

Half the time, at least. The other half were just frustrating because I wasn't technically allowed to hit anyone.

['Technically' is a key word. There was also usually a betting pool on whether or not he lost his temper with someone, and how long it would take]

"Technically"...

[She makes a face.]

That does sound pretty damn irritating, though.

I was pretty good about not punching them. Most of the time.

[He was a good general, he didn't punch people unless they really pushed their luck]

Problems with being the second highest ranked person in a military order and being young. I dealt with it though. Had to. [He hated every moment of it, but he handled it. Learning how to hold your tongue was an important skill Van taught him]

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hairpincurves - 2019-01-17 03:02 (UTC) - Expand

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