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[throughbamboo]

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[causeplay]

[ giggles, a little manic ]

Not one to sugarcoat, are you?

[throughbamboo]

Would ya want me to?

[nods back into the cabin] Go sit down, I'll get ya some tea.

[causeplay]

You know I wouldn't. Triple sugar, please.

[ winks at him and goes to sit down ]

[throughbamboo]

[a soft snort]

Yes ma'am.

[heads off into the kitchen to get her some, only taking a few minutes. When he comes back he hands it to her, with the requested three sugars]

[causeplay]

[ takes a large gulp, laughing as it burns her throat ]

Just what I needed! Thank you kindly, Ore.

[throughbamboo]

[takes a seat next to her]

'Welcome.

[he will give her a few moments to enjoy the tea and relax before he speaks up]

What's got ya like this, Felt?

[causeplay]

[ gestures at the innocuous ouija board beside her ]

If I told you it took me four days to reach the end of this, would you believe me?

[throughbamboo]

Four days? The hell - is that a vision?

[causeplay]

Oh, goodness, I wasn't in the vision full time. I just needed to... take breaks before proceeding. Or rather, the vision provided natural breakpoints between "chapters".

You'll see.

If you aren't scared already.

[throughbamboo]

[he makes a face]

I don't get scared easily. There's breaks, ya said?

[causeplay]

There are most definitely breaks.

[ a beat ]

Unless you happen to be "built different", as they say.

[throughbamboo]

I dunno if I am or not.

[a shrug] If I can handle it, then I can handle it. If not, ain't no shame in stoppin'.

[causeplay]

[ hands him the tiny ouija board and planchette ]

You'll have to trace out a word of your own. Something important to you. I'll even look away politely.

[throughbamboo]

[he takes it with a nod, considering for a moment.

When she looks away, he'll spells out K Y O U D A I with the planchette]

[causeplay]

[ when he spells out the word. . .

the board, the chair, Forge, Felt

—everything that grounds him to his reality—

disappears.

he ceases to be.

he floats alone on a canvas of white, disembodied and disconnected from the world he once knew.

something stirs to his right.

though he no longer has a face, he knows that with the right Intention, he could steal a glance. . . ]

[throughbamboo]

[UHHHHHH.

Well. Well.

He's going to try to. Steal a glance?]

[causeplay]

[ at first, there's nothing.

then, slowly, as he concentrates, a chalice begins to manifest.

it hovers, simple yet majestic, compact yet radiant, translucent yet more absolute than he could ever be; and as its image imprints on the sightless remnants of his shattered soul, he understands with unequivocal certainty that this is what he came for.

this is the key to his rebirth.

with it, he can rewrite his story.

with it, he can finally be free.

however—he'll have to claim it first.

he lacks hands, appendages, tangibility; and yet, he knows that Intent is key. . . ]

[throughbamboo]

[he's just a yakuza man, this stuff is so far out of his understanding he's gonna have a headache later when he thinks about it.

But for now - he has the intent for sure, he's never lacked it. So, he's going to claim the chalice]

[causeplay]

he claims the chalice.

it speaks.

"Eh? 'fiyo, is that you?"

it's just a vision. even here, on the verge of becoming unmade forever, he knows this truth.

but nothing's stopping him from attempting to take an action. nothing's stopping him from trying to communicate, despite his absence of lips and vocal chords. or he could just wait.

[throughbamboo]

[he has a very important thing he can say here:]





What the fuck?

[causeplay]

what the fuck indeed. the Intent of shock and disbelief pours out of him as he assents.

wait, assents?

did he do that?

he must have.

he's the one that intended to communicate, is he not?

either way, the chalice responds.

"Haaa, took you long enough. Do you know how lonely it is out here? All day, every day, it's just me, me, me, allll by myself. If days are even a thing out here.

Bah, semantics. I'm glad to see you. You missed me, right? Right?"

[throughbamboo]

[his eyebrows - does he even have those, shit - furrow]

I don't know who ya are to miss ya.

[causeplay]

he does not have eyebrows. still, the Intent remains clear, and he feels himself convey the impression of a frown.

"Aaaaah, so that's how it is."

the chalice pauses, radiating a distinct thoughtfulness. it gives a little twirl.

"All right. Sure. I'm fine with that. Always have been! Always will be. I'm not the one running out of time.

Are you, though?

Aʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜʏ, 'ғɪʏᴏ?"

[throughbamboo]

I ain't runnin' out of nothin'.

[there's certainty in that. Despite not having a frown, the intent of it deepens further]

Worthy of what?

1/17

[causeplay]

he feels

dread.

he doesn't know.

he doesn't know.

he doesn't know.

he should, shouldn't he?