garrulousApothegm

A Dependent Paradoxbent RP Blog M!A: None.

[garrulousapothegm]

ooc: Happy 4/13

(( It’s been a long ride, but the journey isn’t over yet. Well wishings to all the friends I have made from a silly web-comic from many moons ago. ))

[8ang8ang8itch]

[garrulousapothegm]

Heroic (The End)

It wasn’t what he wanted, not for any of them. Some could argue that it was inevitable, or that this was the best he could hope for, but it wasn’t what he wanted.

The light hurt, now more than ever, but he endured it. His task was the make time for her and, however much they may have disagreed at times, the Executor was never one to leave a job unfinished. The request pained him to think about, as much as the many wounds slowly oozing the black ichor of his benefactors, but there was no turning back now for either of them.

In the silence of the vacuum, he wondered if this was how his parents had felt, staring down a fate they could not escape. Did they tell themselves the same things he did? Did they justify their actions, knowing it would leave pain behind? It would have been nice to ask, but the dead rarely seemed to have answers for the living.

A flash of green grabs his attention, a crush of Void to tamp it down again, just a little longer. He felt so heavy, a density of destiny he could not shake off, it made him long for the familiarity of his keepsakes. They were in a pod though, with the others, and he hoped they would find their way back home.

Light starts to gather in the planetary fragment, warm and soothing, unlike the harsh whiteness he had been fighting. It wasn’t what he wanted, but he could live with this, in the seconds left to him. It wasn’t what he wanted, but maybe it was what he deserved.

The only thing he can think to say is simple: “Thank you.”

[garrulousapothegm]

[pvt] Hell9 Mr. L9cai, I must first 6egin with ap9l9gizing. I sh9uld have tried t9 talk t9 y9u 6ef9re. I th9ught I w9uld have run int9 y9u at s9me p9int 6ut I have heard fr9m Ms. Pyr9pe that y9u have 6een av9iding m9st every9ne. I d9 n9t kn9w if she put it int9 the c9rrect terms as she s9metimes jumps t9 c9nclusi9ns. If it is s9 then I h9pe it is n9t 6y any 9f my 9wn faults th9ugh I hardly w9uld think it is. I wanted t9 see h9w y9u were d9ing and such since 9ur arrival.

[ Private ]

Greetings, Mr. Vantas.

To answer your statements in relative order. “Avoiding” is a strong term. More accurately, none of you can venture into the core of the planet fragment beneath us easily, or without death, except possibly for Ms. Megido.

So, no, it is not your fault nor the fault of anyone currently on the station.

[garrulousapothegm]

[ Private ]

You are most welcome.

[garrulousapothegm]

[pvt] Hell9 Mr. L9cai, I must first 6egin with ap9l9gizing. I sh9uld have tried t9 talk t9 y9u 6ef9re. I th9ught I w9uld have run int9 y9u at s9me p9int 6ut I have heard fr9m Ms. Pyr9pe that y9u have 6een av9iding m9st every9ne. I d9 n9t kn9w if she put it int9 the c9rrect terms as she s9metimes jumps t9 c9nclusi9ns. If it is s9 then I h9pe it is n9t 6y any 9f my 9wn faults th9ugh I hardly w9uld think it is. I wanted t9 see h9w y9u were d9ing and such since 9ur arrival.

[ Private ]

Greetings, Mr. Vantas.

To answer your statements in relative order. “Avoiding” is a strong term. More accurately, none of you can venture into the core of the planet fragment beneath us easily, or without death, except possibly for Ms. Megido.

So, no, it is not your fault nor the fault of anyone currently on the station.

[garrulousapothegm]

[ Private ]

I imagine that is because our ‘bases’ are so far apart. Who and what I am, how I was raised, and what has happened since then is what has shaped me up until now. While I believe in the mantra that was always repeated to me, and ultimately I choose who I will be, the way I see the world has definitely been influenced by what came before.

That certainly does not make it better or worse than anyone else, only different. Well, that is not wholly true. I would not wish the formative events of my life on anyone else, so I suppose in that way, you could consider it ‘worse’ than the alternative.

However, with that said, I do not believe that where we ‘came from’ should be the rule by which we measure people. You lead a different life than me, but I am happy to have met you all the same. I am sure you have talents and strengths that I lack, just as the Executor, Ms. Pyrope, and Miss Maryam do.

But I believe I am just prattling on now, my apologies.

[garrulousapothegm]

[pvt] Hell9 Mr. L9cai, I must first 6egin with ap9l9gizing. I sh9uld have tried t9 talk t9 y9u 6ef9re. I th9ught I w9uld have run int9 y9u at s9me p9int 6ut I have heard fr9m Ms. Pyr9pe that y9u have 6een av9iding m9st every9ne. I d9 n9t kn9w if she put it int9 the c9rrect terms as she s9metimes jumps t9 c9nclusi9ns. If it is s9 then I h9pe it is n9t 6y any 9f my 9wn faults th9ugh I hardly w9uld think it is. I wanted t9 see h9w y9u were d9ing and such since 9ur arrival.

[ Private ]

Greetings, Mr. Vantas.

To answer your statements in relative order. “Avoiding” is a strong term. More accurately, none of you can venture into the core of the planet fragment beneath us easily, or without death, except possibly for Ms. Megido.

So, no, it is not your fault nor the fault of anyone currently on the station.

[garrulousapothegm]

[ Private ]

It...might be, but this is what I know, probably better than most people know ‘normal’ life. So, I suppose to me, it is just another day. Attempting to integrate with Midnight City was more ‘daunting’ than pursuing a ‘good ending’ for those that I can.

[garrulousapothegm]

[pvt] Hell9 Mr. L9cai, I must first 6egin with ap9l9gizing. I sh9uld have tried t9 talk t9 y9u 6ef9re. I th9ught I w9uld have run int9 y9u at s9me p9int 6ut I have heard fr9m Ms. Pyr9pe that y9u have 6een av9iding m9st every9ne. I d9 n9t kn9w if she put it int9 the c9rrect terms as she s9metimes jumps t9 c9nclusi9ns. If it is s9 then I h9pe it is n9t 6y any 9f my 9wn faults th9ugh I hardly w9uld think it is. I wanted t9 see h9w y9u were d9ing and such since 9ur arrival.

[ Private ]

Greetings, Mr. Vantas.

To answer your statements in relative order. “Avoiding” is a strong term. More accurately, none of you can venture into the core of the planet fragment beneath us easily, or without death, except possibly for Ms. Megido.

So, no, it is not your fault nor the fault of anyone currently on the station.

[garrulousapothegm]

[ Private ]

I accept that there are some aspects of Timelines that I cannot change without simply creating more doomed Timelines. However, I have taken up this burden because I believe that those in doomed Timelines do not deserve to be forgotten. They deserve their own happy endings and victories, even if theirs will eventually be overshadowed by the Prime. So, I believe things can be changed and improved, it is only a matter of whether I am the one who can change those things, or whether it must be someone else.

[garrulousapothegm]

“Thus far, attempting more than a cursory investigation has meant that I simply do not run into her for longer, but perhaps you are right. I believe she always did prefer your presence, so we may have more luck together than apart.”

A distinct possibility made more likely given that Vriska’s Aspect was literally an embodiment of luck, but Game theory never seemed to be something she particularly enjoyed, so he kept the thought to himself.

“I think...it will be a fine meeting. If you are concerned, I can accompany you, though I do not believe I am privy to enough of your history to act in a particularly useful fashion other than moral support.”

Really, beyond the tiny snippets Vriska had told him, he had no knowledge of her past or relationships beyond what could be inferred. Privacy was a concept he understood well though, and the Void was nothing if not accepting of secrets and mysteries. He rises when she does, careful of her personal space.

“I will endeavor to have a more proper pile constructed for you when you return.”

Given the empty state of the other rooms, it meant that a quick trip to an alchemiter was probably necessary, but he had plenty of resources to create something she would enjoy. Or at least, he hoped it would be something she enjoyed.

[garrulousapothegm]

[pvt] Hell9 Mr. L9cai, I must first 6egin with ap9l9gizing. I sh9uld have tried t9 talk t9 y9u 6ef9re. I th9ught I w9uld have run int9 y9u at s9me p9int 6ut I have heard fr9m Ms. Pyr9pe that y9u have 6een av9iding m9st every9ne. I d9 n9t kn9w if she put it int9 the c9rrect terms as she s9metimes jumps t9 c9nclusi9ns. If it is s9 then I h9pe it is n9t 6y any 9f my 9wn faults th9ugh I hardly w9uld think it is. I wanted t9 see h9w y9u were d9ing and such since 9ur arrival.

[ Private ]

Greetings, Mr. Vantas.

To answer your statements in relative order. “Avoiding” is a strong term. More accurately, none of you can venture into the core of the planet fragment beneath us easily, or without death, except possibly for Ms. Megido.

So, no, it is not your fault nor the fault of anyone currently on the station.

[garrulousapothegm]

[ Private ]

I would agree with you if it were an opinion borne of self-worth, but it is simply the mechanics of the Game, not unlike most Carapacian pawns. Some pieces on the board are valuable and highly coveted, others are expendable. I do not feel any shame or distress, it simply is the nature of things.

I agree, and I will be focusing my own efforts elsewhere now that I have looked thoroughly into the planetary fragment.

If there is an area you believe would be more fruitful than others based on your superior study on the subject thus far, I am happy to prioritize one over the others.

[garrulousapothegm]

[pvt] Hell9 Mr. L9cai, I must first 6egin with ap9l9gizing. I sh9uld have tried t9 talk t9 y9u 6ef9re. I th9ught I w9uld have run int9 y9u at s9me p9int 6ut I have heard fr9m Ms. Pyr9pe that y9u have 6een av9iding m9st every9ne. I d9 n9t kn9w if she put it int9 the c9rrect terms as she s9metimes jumps t9 c9nclusi9ns. If it is s9 then I h9pe it is n9t 6y any 9f my 9wn faults th9ugh I hardly w9uld think it is. I wanted t9 see h9w y9u were d9ing and such since 9ur arrival.

[ Private ]

Greetings, Mr. Vantas.

To answer your statements in relative order. “Avoiding” is a strong term. More accurately, none of you can venture into the core of the planet fragment beneath us easily, or without death, except possibly for Ms. Megido.

So, no, it is not your fault nor the fault of anyone currently on the station.

[garrulousapothegm]

[ Private ]

Because I do not matter and probably should not have existed past the destruction of my Session, if at all. It is likely only due to my Mother and Sister’s influence that I continue to persist, and more than once I have had Seers inform me that I have no future to see. That is at least partially related to my Aspect, but I imagine the rest is because I am a rogue element now.

In theory, Scratch and English both have the capability, though English is rarely so clean in his destruction and Scratch would need a reason to do so that would benefit the English he is serving. The Radiant Host would only do so if it somehow advanced the cause of the Game, which I do not think destroying all the potential Players would. Denizens and prototype creatures are not beings that I can predict with any accuracy. I never knew my Denizen, and the others I have run into largely ignore me.

[garrulousapothegm]

“You know me so well...”

He continues to idly page through the book, wishing for a moment he could smell the flowers as well, but given their current state he is content to just look. Not an unfamiliar state of affairs. The new record does not immediately grab his attention, primarily because the music he was raised on was fairly different than what Vriska preferred, or what most people preferred really. He does look over when she starts talking though, humming softly.

“She is here, somewhere, though I would be hard pressed to tell you where. Not unlike our prior living arrangement, she seems to come and go as she pleases, and rarely requires anything from me. I would have thought she would need help finding food, but if that is the case, she hides it well.”

He could remember being told as a child that cats and purrbeasts were mysterious creatures, something that had both frightened and delighted him once upon a time. Now that he was older, it was certainly less frightening, but no less mysterious.

“It is possible, I know that the Executor has run into her before, though not regularly. She was as perplexed as I was that Rhosyn has remained her so long and managed to mostly avoid the surveillance systems.”

[garrulousapothegm]

[pvt] Hell9 Mr. L9cai, I must first 6egin with ap9l9gizing. I sh9uld have tried t9 talk t9 y9u 6ef9re. I th9ught I w9uld have run int9 y9u at s9me p9int 6ut I have heard fr9m Ms. Pyr9pe that y9u have 6een av9iding m9st every9ne. I d9 n9t kn9w if she put it int9 the c9rrect terms as she s9metimes jumps t9 c9nclusi9ns. If it is s9 then I h9pe it is n9t 6y any 9f my 9wn faults th9ugh I hardly w9uld think it is. I wanted t9 see h9w y9u were d9ing and such since 9ur arrival.

[ Private ]

Greetings, Mr. Vantas.

To answer your statements in relative order. “Avoiding” is a strong term. More accurately, none of you can venture into the core of the planet fragment beneath us easily, or without death, except possibly for Ms. Megido.

So, no, it is not your fault nor the fault of anyone currently on the station.

[garrulousapothegm]

[ Private ]

Perhaps, though I believe it more likely that the information was pulled from their Skaia remains directly. The game is, as I said, ever-present. It was aware of the possibility of us before our species even existed and our many potential lives and deaths. A Sprite could probably explain it better than me, but sufficed to say, the rest of you ought to be known quantities.

That is to say, you all have Prime counterparts. I believe the Executor has more information on them than I do, but I can say with certainty that you do. Whereas I, for instance, do not.

As to the data, I could extrapolate any number of enemies. Scratch? English? If this Session is particularly old, they could have been facing the Radiant Host, or even prototype versions of the Denizens. It would be difficult to tell without knowing vaguely when their Session took place in relation to others I have known...

[garrulousapothegm]

“Oh?”

He could not remember any such employee, but then, there was not guarantees that what Vriska had now was what he had then. Considering the nature of Paradox Space, very little could be counted on, but he put that aside for now. Unwilling to go down that path with present company awaiting more of a response.

“...it’s beautiful. Thank you.”

He pages through it, looking at the pressed flowers with interest. He had not seen something like this in many many years, even longer since it was something personal to him. Tentatively. Carefully. He touches one of the flowers, enjoying the feel of flora he had not seen in nearly a year now.

[garrulousapothegm]

Hums in response, fairly sure that the Executor would have made an entrance already if she wanted to, but then he could not judge their relationship. Afterall, he had never known Viskar’s equivalent to the elder Pyrope, nor had he known the Terezi that Vriska was fond of. He only ever had secondhand knowledge of either, which...was somewhat saddening now that he thought of it.

“A book?”

That. Piqued his interest. Not that Vriska did not read, he’d come upon her working on things for the Casino many times, but it did not seem to be a favorite pastime of hers. That made it all the more interesting, especially since she could have simply messaged him the text if it were only the reading she was interested in. While she is up, he moves back a bit so that he is resting against the wall, a more convenient position for them both when she returns.

[garrulousapothegm]

He rubs a circle with his hand at the small of her back when her breath catches, not so bold as to shoosh or pap, but certainly understanding her anxiety. It was one Viskar had shared to some extent, and one he understood her alternates also possessed. A commonality of Light Players, he supposed. It would make sense, since most Void Players were so conveniently forgotten.

“Then I thank you for the thoughts, whether or not I am aware of them, it is comforting to know I will not be wholly expunged from record.”

Not that he believed he would be remembered if he died a true death, but that was not something to burden Vriska with, especially as it would only cause more distress to know. Instead he hums appreciatively at her words, with her horns so near his chin and neck, leaning into her was not really an option. Instead he just continues to rub a small circle and otherwise stay as comfortably still for her as he can.

“I imagine she already knows you are here, though she did say she was not eavesdropping on our personal quarters other than for lifesigns. I imagine yours is distinct enough to her that she has not felt the need to investigate, for now.”

[garrulousapothegm]

[pvt] Hell9 Mr. L9cai, I must first 6egin with ap9l9gizing. I sh9uld have tried t9 talk t9 y9u 6ef9re. I th9ught I w9uld have run int9 y9u at s9me p9int 6ut I have heard fr9m Ms. Pyr9pe that y9u have 6een av9iding m9st every9ne. I d9 n9t kn9w if she put it int9 the c9rrect terms as she s9metimes jumps t9 c9nclusi9ns. If it is s9 then I h9pe it is n9t 6y any 9f my 9wn faults th9ugh I hardly w9uld think it is. I wanted t9 see h9w y9u were d9ing and such since 9ur arrival.

[ Private ]

Greetings, Mr. Vantas.

To answer your statements in relative order. “Avoiding” is a strong term. More accurately, none of you can venture into the core of the planet fragment beneath us easily, or without death, except possibly for Ms. Megido.

So, no, it is not your fault nor the fault of anyone currently on the station.

[garrulousapothegm]

[ Private ]

It is quite possible that these people encountered the catalyst to their initialization of the game, but I do not know how it got in the state it is currently. I also do not understand how these systems are knowledgeable about us, or myself. My suspicion is that it has to do with how the station is tied to the planetary fragment.

If it is a piece of Skaia, it is a direct connection to the core programming of the game. Something that is both advantageous, and dangerous.

[garrulousapothegm]

[pvt] Hell9 Mr. L9cai, I must first 6egin with ap9l9gizing. I sh9uld have tried t9 talk t9 y9u 6ef9re. I th9ught I w9uld have run int9 y9u at s9me p9int 6ut I have heard fr9m Ms. Pyr9pe that y9u have 6een av9iding m9st every9ne. I d9 n9t kn9w if she put it int9 the c9rrect terms as she s9metimes jumps t9 c9nclusi9ns. If it is s9 then I h9pe it is n9t 6y any 9f my 9wn faults th9ugh I hardly w9uld think it is. I wanted t9 see h9w y9u were d9ing and such since 9ur arrival.

[ Private ]

Greetings, Mr. Vantas.

To answer your statements in relative order. “Avoiding” is a strong term. More accurately, none of you can venture into the core of the planet fragment beneath us easily, or without death, except possibly for Ms. Megido.

So, no, it is not your fault nor the fault of anyone currently on the station.

[garrulousapothegm]

[ Private ]

Most people view time as happening in a straight line, were you to count it that way, it would be centuries upon centuries. In practice, especially given Time Players and Paradox Space, time does not flow at all. I have experienced seconds over the course of years, and decades in the course of moments. It makes the concept of age and experience less relevant, so I keep track of Earth Solar years enough to satisfy when people ask.

We are in an anomaly, or at least I believe we are, because the planetary fragment beneath us appears to be a prototypical Skaia. However, there is no Prospit or Derse, and no Player worlds. In the case of a Dead Session, there would not be a fragment like this. Near as I can tell given the records you have unearthed, they either pulled this out of the Game, or it was expelled. Either way, it is a wholly unique achievement in my experience.

To clarify yet further, everything exists inside the game as a whole. The game portion of the game, which is to say the Medium, only activates when certain conditions are met. Normally this is the discovery and processing of a code. I have seen it presented as ancient languages, computer code, genetic sequences, and even music. Once someone deciphers it though, that is the beginning of the end.