10th l o s t s o u l ~ [Action]

[illusional]

[Cheyenne was hungry.]

[It had only been a few moments since she awoke, resting in the snow and shivering, and she was already on her feet and walking. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized where she was. This wasn't the desert anymore. No, this place was still familiar... Luceti. But the name held no significance for her yet. Her mind was racing. For the first time in what felt like forever, she could actually think. The hunger was still unbearable, but the shift into the barrier was enough to give her some control.]

[She needed to figure out what to do before she froze to death or gave in to temptation. She didn't know why, perhaps her mind wasn't clear enough to understand, but she knew she couldn't go into the village yet. She needed to wait... but for what? Waiting wasn't going to make things better. Perhaps, if she could find just one person, she could pull herself together long enough to feed without putting them in danger?]

[But did she have the self-control to do so?]

[She was so hungry...]

--

[Much later in the evening, Cheyenne will make her way around the village in an attempt to refamiliarize herself with the setting, this time wearing her blindfold. It hasn't changed too much since she was last here, thankfully. She'll grab a few things from the item shop to bring back to her apartment before finally stopping by Seventh Heaven for dinner. Her memories of Luceti place are still coming back in bits and pieces, but at the very least, she remembers she ate here often.]

[Feel free to run into her at any point, though she'll probably be a little unresponsive until after she's eaten actual food.]

--

((ooc: Okay, so! Cheyenne here is an illusionist. Normally she's much more in control of her powers, but after a month and a half of not feeding at all, she doesn't have a very strong hold on mind right now. The powercap brought back some of her sanity, but until she can manage enough to go into the village without eating every soul in sight, she'll be wandering around the forest just outside the village. Unfortunately, she's doing so without her blindfold on, which means anyone who happens to see her is at risk for being fed on.

If you want your character to run into her in the first part, please fill this out! And keep in mind she might avoid your character in the future if they didn't already know each other from her last stay here. Basically, when someone looks into her eyes, they will be trapped in an illusion of whatever it is they fear the most. Only your character will see the illusion, and they won't be able to move until freed. If your character wears sunglasses/goggles/anything that obscures vision, or is blind, they won't be affected by illusions. And don't worry, she won't feed long enough to leave any damage to your character's soul.

And of course, she'll be completely sane for the second part!))

Comments

[fabrecation]

[As soon as Luke knows that Noel's following, he starts to run. He has to get them in the clear, especially since he's sure Cheyenne saw them both. He doesn't even look back at her, even if his concern for her makes him want to. He'll just regret it if he does, and he'd be useless to Noel.

It's only when they break through the forest and end up in the square that Luke stops and looks back at the treeline, breathing hard and moving in front of Noel just in case he needs to urge her to go on again. Now he just hopes he didn't lead Cheyenne right to the village...

But after a few minutes, it's clear that Cheyenne didn't give chase. Now, Luke can finally relax... sort of. He feels unsteady, and he sways slightly before he presses his palm into his forehead, then moves to lean against one of the shops, his hands and arms shaking. He can still see those images surfacing in his head - bodies everywhere, his friends walking away, Asch... a replica...]

Are you... okay, Noel? [He does, at least, have enough semblance of mind to keep looking out for Noel. If he could just suppress the rest of the memories, he'll be fine.]

[failazure]

I... [She stops, wanting to catch her breath first before continuing. It feels like they had run forever. When Noel turns her back and scans the forest... she can't see that girl anymore. They must have been able to escape.

She's glad they're out of there... and that she found Luke before something really bad happened.

The blonde turns her head back to him, taking a shaky step forward towards him.] ...I'm okay. Are you okay? Who-- Who was that girl? Did you know her?

[fabrecation]

[Luke raises his head a little to look back at Noel, though he turns it back to stare at the ground just a moment later. It's too hard to try concentrating and stay calm when all the worst memories of his life keep playing for him.]

H-Her name's Cheyenne. She's an illusionist... She isn't usually like that.

[He won't answer that part about himself being okay. Saying that he was would be kind of a lie at the moment.]

[failazure]

An illusionist...? [She doesn't think she's heard of the term, but her next question is thrown into the water when she takes a better look at Luke.

He doesn't look like he was injured, but... something doesn't seem right. Not in the least bit. That much should have been obvious, considering his screaming back in the forest.

Now she's worried. Convinced that something terrible must have happened, she edges on closer to him.]

What did she do to you? [...] You... You don't look well at all.

[fabrecation]

[... Right. Right, he's... being too obvious. Luke presses his hand against his forehead for a few seconds before he straightens out, though he keeps his eyes shut. There's a slight sting behind them that he doesn't want anyone else to see.]

I'm fine. I'm fine, really, she... didn't do anything. Just... She just touched me, that's all.

[... He purses his lips and lifts his head a bit, creating a slight cringe. Once he thinks about these things, it's hard to stop.]

1/2

[failazure]

[...]

She... touched you? [Without thinking, she reaches out to carefully touch his arm, as though she were trying to comfort him in some way. She doesn't think he's o--

Ping.

kay...]

[failazure]

[There is a ringing. There is a loud, high-pitched ringing that is going through her head. It's not only annoying, it--] Ah--

[Hurts.

She knows it. Noel already understands what is happening, but it's too late. She can't pull away. She can't. Why is this happening again!?]

Ah... Ahhhhhhhhhh!

[Luke...!]

1/2

[fabrecation]

[Ping.

Luke suddenly shoots his eyes open and stares ahead for only a second before the pain hits. He squeezes them shut again, and both hands go to his head now, clutching the sides of it. Not only that, but there's a light glow around his body - not as strong as it would be if it were Asch or Lorelei calling him back on Auldrant, but enough to be noticeable at a distance.

This is a familiar pain, one of someone stabbing into his head. He doesn't even think of who could be doing it, just that it hurts just like all the other times it would happen without him expecting it.]

Not... again - AHH!

2/2

[fabrecation]

[All Luke can hear is a loud ringing, resonating sound in his head, just like back on Auldrant, and it seems like there's nothing else around him. But Noel will be seeing something else entirely.

A man with brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, piercing blue eyes, and a beard. His posture is proud, and he's obviously military. He smiles at Luke and rests a hand on his shoulder.

"Master!"

Happiness and warmth.

"Foolish replica Luke."

A blinding light from Luke's hands, and a giant object before him shatters into pieces.

Apprehension. Did he succeed?

"You've finally proven useful, replica."

That same man, the smile is no longer kind. It's a sneer, a mocking, triumphant gaze. Something was wrong.

Fade to dark.

Fade to light.

A rock slab, a small animal watching him, a few standing. People he knows. Others are on the ground, so still that it's scary. An ocean of violet mud is all around them.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

A little boy reaches out to them. They can't get to him. He sinks in the mud crying out for his parents.

Dread.

(Did I do this? No no no no no)

"No one told me! It's not my fault! It's not my fault!"

"I'm returning to the bridge. If I stay here, I'll just be irritated by some ridiculous ranting."
"Ever since you lost your memory, you're like a completely different person..."
"Ion! Don't even bother talking to him! He's not even worth it."
"Luke... Don't make me think even less of you..."
"I was stupid for starting to think you had some good in you..."

Retreating backs. Denial despair anger betrayal -

Crushing realization.

Broken sobbing.

A flash, a city blanketed in violet. A man with Luke's face stands across from him.

"That's right! You're a second-rate copy of me! A mere replica!"

denial denial grief panic it can't be everything was a lie mother father life baticul natalia guy the promise

replica replica luke copy second-rate foolish replica akzeriuth everyone no no

"You're lying! It's not true it's not true it's not true!!"

Screaming, the aimless swinging of the sword, panic broken can't think no more please please you're lying please

Clang, the sword is out of his hand and he's on the ground with Asch's sword raised above him -

"DIE!"]

1/2

[failazure]

[Her eyes are dull. Noel can't hear his screams any longer. The world around them goes dark. All that there is now are memories.

His memories.

She can see everything he sees. Hear everything he hears.




Feel everything...

His happiness. His apprehension. His fears. His denial.

His despair.

No more.


She doesn't want this. These memories were not her own to experience.

Stop.

But there is nothing she can do.

Noel is in-tune with Luke. For these few moments... it's as though their minds were one.

Betrayal. Death. Abandonment. Grief. Denial.

Pain.

It's too painful.

Somewhere, far away. She can feel the droplet of tears touch her cheeks.

And when the man who shared the same face as Luke raised his sword, all Noel could do was scream.

LUUUUUKE!]

[failazure]

[The connection breaks.

Seconds had only passed.

But it felt like a whole lifetime for Noel.

She snaps her hand back, trembling. Her legs collapse and she crumbles onto the ground.

Her breathing is heavy. In the back of her mind, she realizes that she had been crying.]

L-Luke...

[What has she done?]

[fabrecation]

[As soon as the connection breaks, Luke takes a few steps away and bends over, hands still gripping his head as the pain begins to fade. The glow, in turn, dims until he looks normal again. Once that happens, Luke slowly loosens his grip and lowers his hands.

What... What just happened? Did someone get into his head again? But who...

He looks behind him to find Noel on her knees with tears falling down her cheeks. He jumps slightly and leans back a little, simply because the sight of a girl crying will always make him feel awkward and unsure of himself. But that only lasts for a second or two, and in the next, he finds himself kneeling down in front of her, one hand frozen in mid-reach towards her shoulder. What is he... supposed to do for her? Right now, he's not even sure what's wrong.]

Noel...?

[failazure]

[When his hand edges near her, Noel flinches.] Don't!

[...only to find that it's going nowhere. She pauses awkwardly. Though the sudden movement had snapped her out of it, Noel... suddenly doesn't know what to do.

Does he... even know what happened?]

...I'm sorry. I was just-- I... I was... I didn't mean to.

[fabrecation]

Didn't mean to? Didn't mean to what...?

[He gives a light cringe as he thinks back to that pain. A few seconds' worth, but it was a familiar pain. Lorelei would speak to him, Asch would see through his eyes, and -

Was that...?]

I felt this... pain in my head. [His eyes clear as he looks at her again.] Was that you, Noel?

[At least he doesn't sound accusatory. Concerned, yes, for both of their well beings, but nothing more.]

[failazure]

[Nothing is said. Not at first.

Avoiding his eyes, Noel chooses to stare at the dirt beneath them. The silence is almost a little frightening; the longer she waits, the worse it'll get.

Her heart is pounding. The things she was forced to see still play so clearly in her head. The pain she had felt to the very core.

Noel's lips quiver.

Luke's pain...

She'll finally speak up, though her answer isn't direct.]

I... saw things. [...] Things I shouldn't have seen.

[fabrecation]

Saw... what? What are you...

[He trails off, slowly. She was in his head, right when the memories of that day were playing so strongly for him...

Suddenly Luke himself feels nervous. Did Noel see all of that? The sin that he'll never be able to atone for, his abandonment... the way he found out he was a replica?

If she did, how... how does she see him now? Is he still her friend, or is he just a criminal now? He never wanted anyone to see what he's seen, never wanted them to know. And now he's nervous, and thanks to Cheyenne playing with his emotions earlier, he feels like there's really one outcome to this.

He lowers his hand to his knee and looks down at the ground. He can barely see Noel at this vantage point, but he absolutely expects her to stand up and leave.

Luke's nothing but a second-rate copy. A worthless piece of trash. A monster. And now Noel knows it.]

You... saw all of that?

[failazure]

[Noel winces.

She didn't mean to. She honestly didn't mean to see any of that. After all of that... what does she even say to him, now that he knows?]

I... did. [Nervousness. She can't hide it from her tone. If only Noel would have known what he was thinking--maybe she wouldn't already be so worked up over this.

After all, would he want to be near her again if he knew she could potentially see his memories from a mere touch? It's not like him... she knows that. But something like this--it's a completely different story.]

I'm sorry. I-- I'm really sorry. I didn't know... this would happen again. I-It's been so long, and-- it-- I... thought it was finally over.

[fabrecation]

It... It's okay. It's not your fault, you couldn't stop yourself.

[Luke rubs his left wrist, still not looking at her. His own tone holds nervousness, too, and dejection. Now that she's seen what happened... he's told her before, but actually seen it, and how he acted, and the extent of what he did, how is she going to react? He's... He's a monster. Who'd want to be with someone like him?]

I'm... the one who should be sorry. That you had to see all of that. I swear I'm not like that anymore, and I'm... I'm trying my best to atone for everything. I know I can never do it, but... [He shuts his eyes, just expecting to hear the shift and crunch of snow.] I'm sorry.

[failazure]

[He... what?

A moment's silence passes before he hears the noise he's been so dreading. But not the way he had expected. It's weird, she knows, or... at least feels. Noel is just as worried and scared of what he'd think of her. She looked into his head and saw memories; memories so precious yet so painful-- Things Noel should never have been allowed to see.

She's just as scared, yes, but... when Noel thinks about how Luke must feel, she doesn't think now would be a good time to grovel on the ground and worry about herself.

Not after what he said.

The crunching of the snow he hears? It's coming in his direction. Though Noel is way too afraid to touch him right now, she... she has to do something.]

No. Luke, you... you shouldn't be the one apologizing, either. [...] Not after everything that's happened to you.

[Yes. You.]

[fabrecation]

[Luke's eyes widen a little with surprise, both at the noise and what she says, and he raises his head a little to look up at her. That's... the first time someone's said something like that to him. That he shouldn't apologize for it...

He lowers his gaze and his head again. It's... nice of her to think that, but...]

It's not like I didn't deserve any of it... You saw what happened. I'm the one who caused all of that.