“Hey! Wrong answer!” Willow’s voice boomed with the authority of a ranch worker directing animals as her gaze shot to Horn. Underlining her words was a flared burn of Brass soothing rage, zinc rioting shame, and Duralumin hammering home Willow’s view of Horn’s childish actions into the petulant god. The Duralumin made the burn incredibly strong, but very brief; and that is exactly what Willow wanted. Prolonged emotion manipulation would be identifiable in a person like Horn, but perhaps the momentary surge of doubt would have a longer effect in a way. Following the surge of emotional allomancy the Brit’s full attention was on Horn, and an accusatory finger pointing at the Amazon’s chest.
“Your fight, if you reeeeeeeeeeally want one, is with me. Acting otherwise is downright cowardly. Throw hands with me, or use your words like a big girl.”
To drive the point home, Willow took her hat off and passed it to Phyllis. This exchange technically went against Willow’s vow to work on her bully-ish nature, but she was giving herself a pass since she was dealing with a bully that literally held a friend of hers.
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The grass crunched under Manon's boots as she landed on the ground. Willow's opponent had lost the hateful look in her eyes, replaced by a sense of clarity. She stomped over and loomed over the Allomancer like a mountain that had decided to pick up and move.
Phyllis had taken to wearing the proffered hat, so that she could still wield her stick. One of the Horn tribesmen stepped forward brandish a staff. He was promptly sent flying by Phyllis, who straightened the hat and squared herself up again.
The violence didn't move the Horn God, if anything, it got the Horn tribals rattling amongst themselves and queuing up for a chance against the Laughing God's little soldier.
"Something worse than death waits for us on the other side," the Horn God admitted, finally.
Willow's canidaer friend batted another Spriggan into the bushes. Horn continued, "I do not remember what it is, my memory betrays me, but it is there. Ask the Laughing God what waits for us on the other side. Ask your god what they get from suffering the same fate."
Her piece said, the Horn God lost the color in her face, and turned away, lumbering off to the camp. One of her warriors arced over her head, batted by Phyllis.
"My hero! My prince!" Manon seized Willow in an embrace, planting a long, loud smooch on her cheek with garish, red lipstick. "You always seem to know exactly what to say to get people to change their minds."
Phyllis had taken to wearing the proffered hat, so that she could still wield her stick. One of the Horn tribesmen stepped forward brandish a staff. He was promptly sent flying by Phyllis, who straightened the hat and squared herself up again.
The violence didn't move the Horn God, if anything, it got the Horn tribals rattling amongst themselves and queuing up for a chance against the Laughing God's little soldier.
"Something worse than death waits for us on the other side," the Horn God admitted, finally.
Willow's canidaer friend batted another Spriggan into the bushes. Horn continued, "I do not remember what it is, my memory betrays me, but it is there. Ask the Laughing God what waits for us on the other side. Ask your god what they get from suffering the same fate."
Her piece said, the Horn God lost the color in her face, and turned away, lumbering off to the camp. One of her warriors arced over her head, batted by Phyllis.
"My hero! My prince!" Manon seized Willow in an embrace, planting a long, loud smooch on her cheek with garish, red lipstick. "You always seem to know exactly what to say to get people to change their minds."
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“The easiest folks to convince are the ones that I just pretend I’m talking to myself,” Willow spoke softly and mostly to herself as she watched Horn leave. Then she pulled away from Manon, flicked the clown on the forehead with an un-Pewtered finger, and wiped her cheek to get the lipstick off. Continuing on and accepting her hat back from Phyllis, Willow held a pensive look distinct from the occasional bouts of melancholy that had plagued her the last couple of months.
“Hey Manon, about what Horn said… about what’s waiting. If I’m going to be trying to convince this lot to help me attack the Heart of Darkness, then I think I should be in the know on everything they are gonna be walking into.”
Willow took a breath.
“Can you help me?”
“Hey Manon, about what Horn said… about what’s waiting. If I’m going to be trying to convince this lot to help me attack the Heart of Darkness, then I think I should be in the know on everything they are gonna be walking into.”
Willow took a breath.
“Can you help me?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The flick put Manon into a dramatic spin and a twirl, shedding her damsel outfit in favor of her fool's regalia. What streaks remained on Willow's cheek peeled off in tassels and sparks. In one motion, she lounged in the air again, looking the part of a fey patron willing to make a deal.
Judging by the unearthly color in her eyes, she seemed capable of it. Her cheeks, one decorated with a blue tear, rose in a bright smile.
"Do I get to be the Maturin to your Aubrey? The Samwise to your Frodo? The Caxton to your Flynn? Drysi's jealousy will be, mmm, magnifique!"
She swooped in and booped Willow on the nose with her finger.
"And what is all this shyness, hm? We are friends, non? Was all zat talk and smooching on ze mountain just bluster? Of course I will help you!"
Another spriggan went flying over the low green glade. Phyllis seemed to be finished fully, and was only now paying attention.
"Talk and smoochin'? Wadnae that nae a play you two were putting on?"
Judging by the unearthly color in her eyes, she seemed capable of it. Her cheeks, one decorated with a blue tear, rose in a bright smile.
"Do I get to be the Maturin to your Aubrey? The Samwise to your Frodo? The Caxton to your Flynn? Drysi's jealousy will be, mmm, magnifique!"
She swooped in and booped Willow on the nose with her finger.
"And what is all this shyness, hm? We are friends, non? Was all zat talk and smooching on ze mountain just bluster? Of course I will help you!"
Another spriggan went flying over the low green glade. Phyllis seemed to be finished fully, and was only now paying attention.
"Talk and smoochin'? Wadnae that nae a play you two were putting on?"
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“She means bonding as thesbians, pardon, I mean thespians,” Willow gave Phyllis a cocked smile before leveling her gaze back on the clown, at which point she crossed her arms as her expression shifted to minor indignation. “For the record, this isn’t me being shy; this is me working past a character flaw. I’m… not exactly good at asking for help. I’m the strong one; bold, confident, and always seem to know exactly what to say to get people to change their minds.”
The allomancer faced Manon, but her eyes were turned away towards the treeline.
“Truth is I just shoot from the hip most of the time and hope my gut steers me right, but… well, I’m worried I’ve just been on a lucky streak, and that, maybe, I, uh, need too… get better at opening up a bit more to my… friends. No sense letting months of hard work trip at the finish line because of the shame I associate with vulnerability.”
Willow uncrossed her arms but seemed unsure of what to do with her hands.
“So… yeah… I think I… ahem, I need help with this. I want to know whatever you can tell me about dealing with these gods, and how I can best convince them to face whatever it is on the other side.”
The allomancer faced Manon, but her eyes were turned away towards the treeline.
“Truth is I just shoot from the hip most of the time and hope my gut steers me right, but… well, I’m worried I’ve just been on a lucky streak, and that, maybe, I, uh, need too… get better at opening up a bit more to my… friends. No sense letting months of hard work trip at the finish line because of the shame I associate with vulnerability.”
Willow uncrossed her arms but seemed unsure of what to do with her hands.
“So… yeah… I think I… ahem, I need help with this. I want to know whatever you can tell me about dealing with these gods, and how I can best convince them to face whatever it is on the other side.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Manon had to hide the smile on her face at Willow's comment to Phyllis, but for the rest she listened intently. It was unfortunate, though, as Manon got the same look on her face that Willow did when faced with a problem she had little idea how to solve. She gripped her chin, furrowed her brow, and looked to be thinking seriously.
"Iz grim to be sure," was all she could come up with, "but I know as much as you do, maybe even less. I do not know what zis other side is. But I think I know who might."
A wild twinkle sparkled in her eyes as azure flames began to lick up her sides. "Oh, hon hon, I suppose I cannot blame Mx. Caxton for being so giggly."
A hot plume wreathed the clown in ethereal flames, before she fell backward into the ground and sank through the firmament, laughing all the way. The surrounding area was washed in blue, before the aura raced off into the horizon, appearing again on the skyline behind.
Willow would feel a pair of hands grope at her as the energy surged upon her and the shape of Manon pressed against her back.
"Non non non," came her voice, "older than ze world, but not old enough."
The flames flowed over the Allomancer, sinking into the grass and circling the realm again. This time, a woman could be heard screeching in through the distant boughs. The path was painted again in blue as Manon erupted from a font of Neptune colored fire, carrying a disheveled Eryl Maelgwyn. The clown tossed the triclops on the ground.
"I should 'ave known," Manon stood with her hands on her hips, "the pear woman with her nose bleeds and bikini."
"Why is that all anyone remembers!?" shrieked Eryl, red faced.
"Do not play coy, you know more than you let on," shot back Manon, looming over the triclops, "you are from ze old world. Older than Willow, older than Caxton. What do you know about ze old gods? What are they afraid of on ze other side?"
"I- what, the other what? The centrifuge?" babbled Eryl, as she leaned away from the clown cracking her knuckles. "Is that what--"
"No riddles!" snapped Manon, producing a lead pipe and smacking it in her hand. She squatted down in a frilly track suit and an exaggerated sneer, "I do not know any centrifuge. What are ze gods afraid of? Why wouldn't ze want to fix the world!?"
Perfectly caught of guard, Eryl trembled, looking stunned and caught in the headlights.
"They... They're not gods, they're g-ghosts. Perhaps some remember being dormant in the centrifuge, I cannot say--..."
"Lies!"
Manon hit the packed dirt with her pipe, looking ready to escalate, but she gave a plain expression at Willow over her shoulder. Her eyes seem to ask of this was the sort of thing she was looking for.
"Iz grim to be sure," was all she could come up with, "but I know as much as you do, maybe even less. I do not know what zis other side is. But I think I know who might."
A wild twinkle sparkled in her eyes as azure flames began to lick up her sides. "Oh, hon hon, I suppose I cannot blame Mx. Caxton for being so giggly."
A hot plume wreathed the clown in ethereal flames, before she fell backward into the ground and sank through the firmament, laughing all the way. The surrounding area was washed in blue, before the aura raced off into the horizon, appearing again on the skyline behind.
Willow would feel a pair of hands grope at her as the energy surged upon her and the shape of Manon pressed against her back.
"Non non non," came her voice, "older than ze world, but not old enough."
The flames flowed over the Allomancer, sinking into the grass and circling the realm again. This time, a woman could be heard screeching in through the distant boughs. The path was painted again in blue as Manon erupted from a font of Neptune colored fire, carrying a disheveled Eryl Maelgwyn. The clown tossed the triclops on the ground.
"I should 'ave known," Manon stood with her hands on her hips, "the pear woman with her nose bleeds and bikini."
"Why is that all anyone remembers!?" shrieked Eryl, red faced.
"Do not play coy, you know more than you let on," shot back Manon, looming over the triclops, "you are from ze old world. Older than Willow, older than Caxton. What do you know about ze old gods? What are they afraid of on ze other side?"
"I- what, the other what? The centrifuge?" babbled Eryl, as she leaned away from the clown cracking her knuckles. "Is that what--"
"No riddles!" snapped Manon, producing a lead pipe and smacking it in her hand. She squatted down in a frilly track suit and an exaggerated sneer, "I do not know any centrifuge. What are ze gods afraid of? Why wouldn't ze want to fix the world!?"
Perfectly caught of guard, Eryl trembled, looking stunned and caught in the headlights.
"They... They're not gods, they're g-ghosts. Perhaps some remember being dormant in the centrifuge, I cannot say--..."
"Lies!"
Manon hit the packed dirt with her pipe, looking ready to escalate, but she gave a plain expression at Willow over her shoulder. Her eyes seem to ask of this was the sort of thing she was looking for.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
With an exasperated sigh, Willow burned Iron and pulled the pipe out of Manon’s hand and into her own. Flicking her wrist, she tossed the pipe up to tumble in the air before catching it again; repeating the action a few times as she thought about what she had heard. That word had come up again; Centrifuge. It was, as she’d been informed by Percy and by Leaf-Percy, an ancient device that happened to now have a city built on it, and was one of the two pillars of this world; opposite The Platform, whatever that was. From what she’d gleaned, The Centrifuge had been where the fight depicted by the mural in Navipolis had taken place. Playing the most recent interaction through in her head; the other side, the Centrifuge. Manon had cut Eryl off, but it seemed like Eryl had interpreted the other side as the Centrifuge. The triclops had followed with some of the… ghosts... remembering the Centrifuge. So, the ghosts came from the Centrifuge, and, in theory, might return after… whatever could make them return.
That name felt like it was specific, the more Willow thought about it. She’d used a centrifuge a couple times back in normal-person science class; the class had used them to separate pig’s blood during biology to show plasma and blood cells. To the best of Willow’s knowledge, that was what those devices did; they separated liquids, or broadened to flowing amalgams, into distinct parts.
Willow tossed the pipe over her shoulder and approached Eryl, and before anything helped the woman straighten herself a bit.
“What does the Centrifuge do?” Willow asked, her tone soft as she burned Brass to soothe the woman’s anxiety.
That name felt like it was specific, the more Willow thought about it. She’d used a centrifuge a couple times back in normal-person science class; the class had used them to separate pig’s blood during biology to show plasma and blood cells. To the best of Willow’s knowledge, that was what those devices did; they separated liquids, or broadened to flowing amalgams, into distinct parts.
Willow tossed the pipe over her shoulder and approached Eryl, and before anything helped the woman straighten herself a bit.
“What does the Centrifuge do?” Willow asked, her tone soft as she burned Brass to soothe the woman’s anxiety.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Relieved of her pipe, but catching on to Willow's tact, Manon stepped back to let the Allomancer come forward and speak. As she crossed behind Willow's back, Eryl would see her delinquent attire change to a detective's. Her jumps suit was replaced with a white button up tucked into rugged pants, cinched with a belt and decorated with a brass badge. She paced back and forth, giving steely glances at Eryl over a pair of aviators while the good cop took her turn.
"The Centrifuge," Eryl caught her breath, in the least ideal situation she could imagine, but amenable to a few gentle words, "is a repository. The souls within are kept as memories, snapshots of a point in time of this realm. Outside of the Centrifuge, they look... act like people, but within they are rendered to what they really are, a memory of a single moment in time of the Elementalia Magicus."
"That doesn't make any..." Manon's word started aggressive, craning over Willow's shoulder, but her outburst dwindled into a confused mumble, "That doesn't make any sense."
"In times of danger, the realm takes a single soul, and writes the whole of itself into it," explained Eryl, "it's a matter of safety. Each soul from there builds on the other, storing the new memories from the point of the last soul, making a chain. When something terrible happens, all of the souls can be used to remake the whole realm from that last stored memory. The Centrifuge makes it possible, rendering the souls for what they are, rather than what they try to be. Without it, the entire realm must be remade by hand, piece by piece."
"The Centrifuge," Eryl caught her breath, in the least ideal situation she could imagine, but amenable to a few gentle words, "is a repository. The souls within are kept as memories, snapshots of a point in time of this realm. Outside of the Centrifuge, they look... act like people, but within they are rendered to what they really are, a memory of a single moment in time of the Elementalia Magicus."
"That doesn't make any..." Manon's word started aggressive, craning over Willow's shoulder, but her outburst dwindled into a confused mumble, "That doesn't make any sense."
"In times of danger, the realm takes a single soul, and writes the whole of itself into it," explained Eryl, "it's a matter of safety. Each soul from there builds on the other, storing the new memories from the point of the last soul, making a chain. When something terrible happens, all of the souls can be used to remake the whole realm from that last stored memory. The Centrifuge makes it possible, rendering the souls for what they are, rather than what they try to be. Without it, the entire realm must be remade by hand, piece by piece."
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Rubbing the back of her neck, Willow didn’t respond immediately; instead taking time to digest what she’d heard. All of the words made sense, but when packaged together like that they just made her brain hurt as she worked to understand a concept heavy enough to make Manon break character. Taking her hat off, she spun it on her finger idly as the hand rubbing her neck slid upward to run her fingers through her cropped hair. It all honestly felt like a conversation she should have saved until after she had managed to get her morning run in.
“So,” Willow finally spoke, her gaze once again looking at nothing off in the foliage. “All of these gods were people like Percy? Am I getting that right? That’s why Leaf looks like a younger version of him. Leaf is the snapshot of when Percy did… whatever-the-fuck to end up in the position he’s in here.”
She paused, and her gaze drifted upward as Willow let her head tilt back to look at the sky.
“And by asking the gods to help me put an end to the whole Vengeance snafu, I am asking them to risk the status quo and potentially end up back in the churn as memory fragments rather than as living breathing people.”
Willow looked down to her feet and sat her hat back on her head.
“Fuck,” she said, without looking up.
“So,” Willow finally spoke, her gaze once again looking at nothing off in the foliage. “All of these gods were people like Percy? Am I getting that right? That’s why Leaf looks like a younger version of him. Leaf is the snapshot of when Percy did… whatever-the-fuck to end up in the position he’s in here.”
She paused, and her gaze drifted upward as Willow let her head tilt back to look at the sky.
“And by asking the gods to help me put an end to the whole Vengeance snafu, I am asking them to risk the status quo and potentially end up back in the churn as memory fragments rather than as living breathing people.”
Willow looked down to her feet and sat her hat back on her head.
“Fuck,” she said, without looking up.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"They aren't people, Ms. Fairburn," entreated Eryl, in a manner that uncomfortably felt like she was familiar explaining, "and they are not alive either. The little girl in the infirmary was a sacrifice, thousands of years ago, she was the first soul. The rest, the large brute from before, the Leaf God... Percival... Who they were has been gone for years. Decades. Centuries. Some, almost millennia."
Finding her feet, the triclops helped herself off the ground, and tried to find Willow's eyes under the brim of her hat. Manon managed to find her character again, but it didn't seem to have the same effect as before.
"I was one of them, once," admitted Eryl, in a voice so soft, it was as if the words hesitated to step from her mouth, "I did not know for a long time, but I was. I was plucked from the centrifuge, and used. That is the only way I could have known freedom, but Percival gave me humanity by sacrificing his arm. He made a sacrifice. It took a sacrifice to make me, a memory, real. And even then, I was still being used, I was never wholly who I was. I still am not. I will never be Eryl Maelgwyn, the little girl who was slain here centuries ago by a creature much like Vengeance."
The posh woman's hand clenched Willow's shoulder with a hopeful, pained grasp.
"Go home, Willow," Eryl begged, "just pretend this was all a bad dream, and it can stay that way. But if you go forward, it will become real. This place will consume you, just like it consumed Mr. Caxton."
Finding her feet, the triclops helped herself off the ground, and tried to find Willow's eyes under the brim of her hat. Manon managed to find her character again, but it didn't seem to have the same effect as before.
"I was one of them, once," admitted Eryl, in a voice so soft, it was as if the words hesitated to step from her mouth, "I did not know for a long time, but I was. I was plucked from the centrifuge, and used. That is the only way I could have known freedom, but Percival gave me humanity by sacrificing his arm. He made a sacrifice. It took a sacrifice to make me, a memory, real. And even then, I was still being used, I was never wholly who I was. I still am not. I will never be Eryl Maelgwyn, the little girl who was slain here centuries ago by a creature much like Vengeance."
The posh woman's hand clenched Willow's shoulder with a hopeful, pained grasp.
"Go home, Willow," Eryl begged, "just pretend this was all a bad dream, and it can stay that way. But if you go forward, it will become real. This place will consume you, just like it consumed Mr. Caxton."