The Halls

@limitless-liminals

How deep will you venture?

211 posts

It’s impossible to say how long you’ve been here nor if you ever truly arrived but you know the shadows shouldn’t be shifting the way they do…and you also know those footsteps aren’t your own.

HIHI! This blog will be inspired by both the backrooms and SCP. Even if you’re familiar with both, I intend to put my own spin of stuff so it shouldn’t be too predictable.

The rules here are pretty simple:

No NSFW (suggestive is okay but the mod of this blog is a minor)

Add TWs as necessary

Overall just use common sense and don’t be an asshole

Feel free to notify me if I don’t reply to you! I tend to reply pretty quickly so anything more than a day is likely me forgetting.

Have fun!:]

aguidetothemultiverse

Simon pulls his hand away when she pecks, having to take a moment to comprehend what he was feeling. It was like the pain was him but not. His nerves were misfiring just above his limb where there never should’ve been nerves in the first place.

Huh, so that’s what he meant.

“No, no, you’re fine. They didn’t put us under any risk,” a building a block away crumbled.

*It may sooooonnnnn.”

Simon hesitated, choosing to ignore her.

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to prevent that,” he didn’t exactly have the vocabulary for a flashback.

He was hit with his own panic once she climbed up though. Simon was growing okay with her existence, not her on him…was he allowed to move?

*He waves it off quickly, also choosing to ignore who he had to assume was Kiki.*

"No, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

*She nestles into him very quickly, letting out a rumbly coo.*

"Hah! Would you look at that? She really likes you, doll!"

*And then he notices the panic.*

"Do you want her off? I don't think she'll care much if I do."

*Just in case he said no because he didn't want to "offend" her or something. She did seem rather content with him, though. It was very cute. She was all puffed up and round.*

@limitless-liminals

limitless-liminals

She…likes her. Okay, good signs. These were great signs. He wasnt actively at risk due to this ‘pigeon’.

“Let her do whatever she pleases.”

He was swallowing the words as he spoke, unsure if speaking would be an offense in some way shape or form. There wasn’t exactly a tutorial on interacting with these kinds of things, especially not a (potentially) angelic being who wishes to be treated like a ‘normal bird’. None of this made any sense whatsoever.

“Why does she like me?” He whispered, hoping she would magically not hear.

aguidetothemultiverse

It’s getting quite hot out here, is it not? I’m going to have to switch to my summer clothes soon! If you would be so kind, dear, what is Noel doing on this sweltering afternoon?

@limitless-liminals

*He's been hanging around the infirmary, staying close by Arthur and John's side, monitoring his healing. His guilt was eating him up. Any time Phoebe lost a feather, he'd pick it up and fiddle with it until it practically fell apart, much to Phoebe's dismay. She was trying to nest out of those!! On Arthur's chest!!! And he was taking her nesting materials!!*

limitless-liminals

A knock rang through the infirmary from the door but when he turned, there would be no one there. What was there instead was an ethereal, white feather that glittered in the sterile lights as it floated down from the top of the doorway.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tenses immediately. He stares suspiciously at the feather. No. Nope. Not doing that.

He grabs Phoebe and sets her to his chest. She would not be the reason he gets into another eldritch mess, she would not be getting hurt by another eldritch being. Nope.

But, God, his curiosity was killing him. He wanted to know what was up with this. Why a feather? Why a feather when he just got attached to this bird?? What was trying to lure him? Where was it trying to lure him?*

limitless-liminals

Plop.

It was a wet splotch as it hit the tile and it sounded as though it dropped into a puddle that never was there. The shape was round, a perfect sphere roughly the size of a marble, white with another circle colored with— It was an eyeball.

*Yikes! People typically need those, don’t you think? Well, unless you’re like our buddy Arthur here who conveniently has a John to keep him company.*

The narrator spoke in a cheerful tone within his head, a sing-song lilt in each syllable with a poorly hidden giggle. Their voice was fairly androgynous, maybe a tad masculine if you squint, but it was fairly young if Noel had to guess.

*Aw, thank you for the compliment! I don’t consider myself that young but I’m glad I still have my sparkle. Oh! Shoot, Noel, you can’t hear the other voice, can you? I’m sorry for the confusion, I’ll quiet down!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He grimaces.*

"Goddammit... Not again..."

*His voice shakes. He was so tired. He was so fucking tired. He didn't want to hear any more voices. The King was bad enough in the Dreamlands, then there was Aamon, and now this?!

He glanced around nervously. Maybe other people could see this. Maybe other people could hear this. Maybe it wasn't just him being greeted by whatever this was.

That or he had finally lost it. Maybe he really went cooky this time. He knew he'd snap at some point, but frankly, he was expecting a bit more time until then.

...Was any of this real? Did he just... Die at the Order and this is... What, his brain making something up to ease him into death? This wasn't a fun way to be eased into death. He'd assume that his brain would pick something nicer. Maybe the real Noel, or Roland. Hey, maybe both. Of course, Arthur and John would be there, too.

Ugh, stay focused, Dowd! This thing can speak in his head, he shouldn't be getting distracted!!*

limitless-liminals

*Huh, not again? Does this specific stuff happen to you a lot? I know someone who has a repeating scenario happen every two days! Is it like that?*

Dear, as much as I love your enthusiasm, let’s stick to the plot.

*Oh! Right, the plot. So sorry. I need to stop getting side tracked.*

The eye began rolling toward Noel, each time sounding like it was in an ocean of viscous liquid that never was there. The floor remained as dry as it typically was.

aguidetothemultiverse

"N-No- No, no! We're not doing this!"

*He places Phoebe on Arthur's cot, pulling his pistol out and pointing it at the eye. He stands on the chair to get more distance.*

"Stay back!! I'm not- I'll shoot!!"

limitless-liminals

*Huh? Thats not me. Thats just an eye, silly!*

It stopped rolling and the feather began flying through the air as if on wind that didn’t exist in the infirmary. It made circles before looping back around and weaving through the air in various zig zags.

The eye only watched.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He cowers away from the feather, aiming his gun at the both of them.*

"Leave me alone!!"

*He was shaking. He needed to stop doing that. It was happening too much. He just needed to calm down. Maybe this was all fake. Maybe this was a dream. Hey, this would be wonderful if it were a dream. He'd just need to wake up.

...He could shoot his foot to wake himself up. Ehh, that should probably be a last resort thing.*

limitless-liminals

*What was next on the itinerary?*

The sound of rummaging through papers could be heard as I try to search for the list. Typically, I was more organized than this but with all the new information they’ve been giving out, it was nearly impossible.

*Take your time!*

Found it! Okay, Noel needs to…I probably shouldn’t say this where the viewers can see. Come closer to me so you can read it.

*hmmm….got it! Noel, honey, let’s put the gun down.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What?? No! He'd never do that!! He wasn't giving in! He's never given in before, he wasn't planning on starting now!!*

"Do you think I'm an idiot??"

*He shoots a glance at Phoebe. If this damn bird goes over to any of what's happening right now, he swears he'll be having roasted pigeon for dinner.*

"And don't call me honey. You're not gonna win me over with sweet words."

limitless-liminals

*A little, yeah, there’s not really avoiding this part. We kind of need it for the plot.*

The feather floated directly onto Arthur’s chest, not moving any more once it situated directly in the center. The eyeball just watched, pupil going wherever movement did.

*Actually, hold on, I think the rules got revised for what was allowed in there.*

More rummaging of paper.

*Oh! Nevermind, you can keep your gun. I’m sorry.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Phoebe eyes the feather curiously. It would work wonderfully in her little nest here... She took a step towards it and was almost immediately scooped up by Noel. He presses her against his chest and she lets out a shocked coo.*

"Leave me alone! I've got no information for ya! I've got nothin'!"

limitless-liminals

*…Why would I care for information? I got all the info I need!*

The sound of a pen scratching on paper could be heard followed the sound of footsteps. My lover hums gently as she reads over the words. Her voice-

*AHHHH! HOLY SHIT, ARTHUR! OH NO, OH NO, OH NO. THE FEATHER. YOU GOT TO DISPOSE OF IT. GET IT AWAY. BURN IT OUTSIDE. ITS THE ONLY WAY! GET UP! GET UP! FUCK, WAKE UP!*

…Okay, maybe it didn’t need to be that loud. Ouch.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He winces at the sudden increase in volume. When she quiets down, he leans forward and blows it off of Arthur's chest. Someone else could go and burn it. He was done leaving Arthur and John's side. He wasn't doing that again. They needed him, at least for now. At least while vulnerable like this.*

limitless-liminals

*Bud, you better go and light that feather on fire! I could stick you in a really horrible level if I—*

—I love the enthusiasm, honey, but let’s tone it down. Let’s turn to the collective vote of the viewers at home to see if we have the permission to skip over the process we had written down! He may end up in another level than what was planned but hey, who doesn’t love some improv?

Mumbling filled every corner of the room, seeping in from where we came from. I always hate how our worlds will bleed together but it’s inevitable.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He shudders, but doesn't budge. Whatever a "level" was, it didn't mean anything to him currently. If it was meant to be a meaningful threat, it really wasn't. He didn't even have a lighter!!*

"Come up with a better threat, doll."

*He tried to ignore the mumbling. It wasn't anything too out of the norm while encountering gods, so it was to be expected. It didn't make it any less unsettling, though. His ears always strained to understand what was being said, even if he didn't want to.

He held Phoebe a little closer to his chest. This thing couldn't do much to this world without his input, could it? And if it could, well, it hadn't yet. Just sounded like a challenge to him, so how much he could piss them off before some shit started happening.*

limitless-liminals

*The votes are in! Drum roll please!*

The sound of pit-patter covered up the mumbling as people slapped their legs repeatedly.

*WE’RE STICKING TO THE PLAN! For now at least…I quite like the idea we had going with this one.*

The feather blew back onto Arthur’s chest with some unnatural current of wind except this time, it didn’t settle there. It began trying to push through his lips and down his throat, easily going halfway there.

*And for your information, that was a great threat! You’re just dumb.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His eyes widen and he jumps to grab the feather, but stops a couple of inches away. Instead of just grabbing it, he wriggles his arm down his sleeve and grabs it, throwing it across the room. Of course, it's a feather, so things don't go exactly according to plan, but it's out of his grasp almost the second it was in it.*

"Tell me why it's good, then."

*He glares at the eyeball on the floor. A thought crosses his mind. He walks over to it and holds his foot above the organ. He goes quiet, listening.*

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see!*

Her voice was playful and more of a song than speaking as she held out the last syllable.

The feather complied with your action, remaining on the floor. We don’t have too much use for it anymore considering your lack of compliance.

The eyeball just watched. Unblinking.

*It doesn’t exactly have eye lids to blink with.*

Eh, you get the point.

*Squashing that thing won’t do much good for you though!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He frowns.*

"What'll happen? Why shouldn't I?"

*He shifts his grip on Phoebe. She felt real... Right?"

limitless-liminals

*You know what, now I don’t want to tell you anymore.*

Phoebe felt as real as she did before. The other objects were a different story. Your eyes began to develop a slight hazey filter over anything else you saw. Your only anchor was the pigeon.

aguidetothemultiverse

tw self harm

*His face goes blank. Oh. Okay. Uh. Cool.

He takes a couple of shaky steps away from the eye. Then points his pistol at his foot.

Without an ounce of hesitation, he pulls the trigger.*

limitless-liminals

*Yowch!*

It didn’t feel real.

The pain didn’t come as it typically would.

No, you felt it distantly with the same hazey filter.

Did it ever truly happen?

Maybe, you need to shoot again?

*I’ll take over the description then. Her voice had a hidden smile in its tone, barely contained by any attempts to relax back to the continuous monotone.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He felt dizzy. No... No. He's done this so many times. Did... He couldn't... No, no, no, no!

He drops the bird, or whatever it was, and falls to his knees. He curls his arms around his head.

And he screams.

Because he can't be back. There was no way. There was no way that these past two years have all been fake. It wasn't possible. He's shot his foot enough times to know that, but now? How now? When did the King get access to him again? And now he knew where that other half was?

So he screams. This was it. He was going to die. This was how he died. He couldn't do it again. It'd either be by his own hands or the King's, but either way, he was dying.

His screams quickly bled into sobs. He couldn't do this. He couldn't do this again.*

limitless-liminals

Ouch, my eardrums!

*You don’t even have those!*

Okay, but it’s a phrase! How am I meant to narrate in these conditions!

*Uh, uh, uh! I don’t know! Make him shut up!*

I hold my hands over my ear holes and I feel the road of my eye shake as I try to regulate myself. I never took fondly to loud noise and— CAN YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY OR I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL DROP YOU IN THE WORST CIRCUMSTANCES YOU CAN THINK OF! I WAS THINKING OF LETTING YOU WARM UP TO THE WHOLE PLACE BUT NOOOO, YOU HAVE TO SCREECH LIKE A BABY!

*…Three deep breathes*

…The sound of breathing can be heard.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tries to follow along with the sound of breathing, even if it wasn't for him, but he can't catch his breath. Tears flow freely from his eyes.

He can't do this again. He can't! He barely made it out alive last time! And Phoebe!! What would she do without him!!

He felt like a child. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go home with his Ma and Pa and curl up in their arms and never deal with this again.*

limitless-liminals

I don’t care. We’re skipping the pretenses to this. I’m done. I’ve had enough. We’re—

BOOOOOOOOOO

SHUT UP, SHUT THE FUCK UP! I DONT CARE WHAT THE VIEWERS WANT. YOURE LUCKY TO HAVE A GODDAMN SHOW. I DONT HAVE TO LIVE STREAM THIS.

*Uh, babe…turn around…*

What? What are you talking about? I— AGHHMMMMTGGGPPGHGGGGGGGG

*…Click…her mic has been muted…I- uh….gods, okay…I guess it’s just you and me now, big guy!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He only curls up more at the voice, shaking violently. He couldn't catch his breath. He couldn't stop sobbing. He couldn't he couldn't he couldn't he couldn't-

Phoebe? Was she still here? Where was his bird? He needed her right now. Where was she? Was she as scared as he was? He couldn't see. He couldn't think. Where was his bird?*

limitless-liminals

*Your bird is where you’d find her typically. Nothing happened to her. Nothing would happen to her.*

Her voice is shaky and uncertain. She moves away from the mic every so often, checking her surroundings, before going back to narrating.

*Lets…okay, please, for both of our sakes, follow my instructions, okay? Please. It will come for me too.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*One hand goes to clamp over his mouth, the other reaching for Phoebe, who immediately presses into him. He has to stifle a wail.

He curls around her, letting his tears drip onto her feathers. He gasps. Air. He needed air. Maybe they could help him get air.

He nods. Okay. Okay, they could maybe help him, even if they got him into this mess.*

limitless-liminals

*okay, okay, thank you, I appreciate it. Just…you see that tile that to the right of the door? I need you to stand on that. You can take the bird with you, I don’t care, you just gotta do that.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He nods again. He just... needed to catch his breath first. Everything was spinny. Deep breath. In and out. It was fine. He shifted the hand from his mouth to Phoebe, feeling her feathers.

Walk over to the tile. That's all he needed to do. The first step was get his feet underneath him. Okay, he could do that. He planted his feet on the floor and-

Oh. That was... disorientating. His pain immediately got more intense, but... was it even his own pain? When he stood up, his leg almost gave out. It was probably his pain. Oh, he hated this. He hated this so much. This was just like the Dreamlands. Oh, he was going to vomit.

No, he had a task. Stay focused, Dowd!!

He hobbled (because that's what it was, his foot was almost dragging behind him) over to the tile, Phoebe held tightly in his arms. He stands on it.

God, he felt like a kid, holding Phoebe like she was a stuffed animal, tears pouring from his eyes. He couldn't even stop it if he tried.*

limitless-liminals

She cleared her throat. *Lock in*

*As soon as your foot hit the tile, the solid ground gave no support as that portion of you just continued slipping down

and down

and down

Down

Down and—

Someone’s leg shouldn’t be able to go this far without the other one following. Actually, the floor shouldn’t seem like nothing more than an illusion in the first place but here we are.*

*The sense of falling was immense and took over every alarm bell but other than the one limb sending those signals, everything else was normal. Your eyes told you that you were planted on the ground. Your other leg was planted on the ground. You weren’t actually falling yet.*

*Itd make the most sense to say the falling leg was extending in order to keep you upright, like some cartoon logic, but none of your nerves sent those signals. The limb was distinctly yours, untouched and unaltered.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*That didn't stop him from getting dizzy by it. He went to take a step away, but stumbled, falling straight on his ass. He clutched Phoebe a little tighter, who lets out a surprised coo.*

"What the fuck?!"

*He felt so sick. Ever since this all started, he felt unbelievably sick. He screwed his eyes shut and tilted his head to the side. Phoebe let out an alarmed coo in response. She rumbles and flaps her wings, trying to get his attention.*

"Phee- Pheeb, just- It's okay- Fuck-"

*He takes a shaky breath, trying to push the nausea that was quickly creeping up on him away.*

limitless-liminals

*…Okay, maybe hop in this time…That way you aren’t just sorta…standing there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His breathing starts to pick up again.*

"How do I-"

*Breathe, Charlie. He'll be okay. He's been through worse. It'll be okay.*

"How do I know that this won't kill me?"

*He needed to stop crying. He needed to breathe. He needed to relax. Panic never got him anywhere. Except keep him alive a few times. He just needed to school it in.*

limitless-liminals

*Trust me, bro? I don’t know. This itself won’t kill you but other stuff can. Let’s just….get back to the tile, okay?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*It takes a moment, but he nods.*

"...Okay..."

*He wanted a name for this thing. But that would have to wait. He shimmied closer to the tile. There was no way he was jumping with how strange his foot was feeling, so trying to position himself over it entirely would have to do.*

limitless-liminals

*Fortunately, that was enough to cause your whole body to phase through the tile. What arrived on the other side of the veil was a foggy, night sky with way too many stars and a plummeting descent to the concrete street below. Your body was roughly 20 yards off the ground.*

*Swallowing up every inch of the landscape were skyscrapers much like the ones you saw in New York, just a tad more futuristic than his era. Between each boxy building were alleyways, if you could call them that. They spanned a mere foot but typically sized dumpsters still remained, part of them stuck in the wall like a poorly placed video game object.*

*The streets, perfectly straight and lacking any potholes or signs of use overall, were vacant of any life. No children laughed at the park down the road, no one was performing street art, nor were there anyone walking in a crowded herd of bumping shoulders. Nothing that would make this city truly feel like a city. The only sign of home you got was the wafting scent of cigarettes.*

*The stoplights and crosswalks worked all the same though, going from red, to yellow, to green. A button near the crosswalk said “wait” in its robotic voice as though it had been pressed, followed but the walking symbol and the command to “walk”.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He curls around Phoebe as he falls, holding her as close as possible. He had to fight to not scream. He needed to be quiet. He didn't know where he was. He wanted to go home.

He doesn't move when he meets the ground, only curling up further and sobbing quietly. He didn't know what was happening. He was scared. He was oh, so scared.*

limitless-liminals

*Do you need a moment…? Medical assistance may- err- nevermind, I can’t give that.*

She looked over her shoulder for me

*Take a deep breath. You’ll be okay. Dont pigeons like the city or whatever?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't move. He doesn't lift his head up. He doesn't stand up. He stays curled up around Phoebe. She was letting out little annoyed coos, but wasn't trying to escape his grasp.*

"What do you- What do you want from me?"

*His voice was barely audible. There was a rasp to it, probably from the screaming and crying. It didn't feel raw, though.*

limitless-liminals

*……Let’s just keep on move, alright, hun? Give me something to narrate.*

aguidetothemultiverse

"No!"

*He whips his head up, glaring at the sky.*

"Tell me what you want from me!! I'll tell you if I could do it!!"

*He clenched his teeth. He could feel the golden tooth push into his gum. He would not go through that again.*

"And if I can't, what will you do?"

*His pained expression slowly morphed into something else. A strange smile spread across his face, the tears still flowing. And he laughed.*

"Torture me? Kill me?! Just tell me already! Rip the bandage off!!"

limitless-liminals

*I want you to keep moving. You can do that, can’t you? Limp around if you have to but keep moving.*

She looked over her shoulder again.

*…please.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He laughs a little harder.*

"I already said no! Tell me the truth! Tell me why you brought me here!"

*Phoebe squirms in his grasp.*

"Tell me what you want from me!!"

limitless-liminals

*How about no! And you should- OH, OH, NEVERMIND, YOU ACTUALLY REALLY NEED TO GET GOING. FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't comply. He tucks his legs to his chest, guarding Phoebe from the outside world, and stares at the sky. Waiting for an answer to his question.

And he wouldn't budge until he got it. He needed an explanation. He wasn't going to run if he didn't know what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing came.

*Damn, normally that works. Did evolution skip over the whole fight or flight thing with you? …Were you alive when they came up with evolution? Does the word make sense to you?….anyways!*

footsteps echoed through the confines of the city but not from anywhere on the ground. It came from the sky. Nothing in the air explained the noise but it circled all around her.

*…okayyoumightreallyneedtogetamoveon. IlltellyouwhatIwantlater.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He still doesn't budge. He. Wanted. His. Answer. He didn't believe those footsteps were real. He didn't. And if he got hurt, then he could take it. He's had worse. He'd been torn apart, head to toe, and got back up fine.

His heart was racing, though. His mind was whispering worries. He wouldn't let it win, though. He wouldn't run until he knew what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

*The footsteps only got louder and louder, vibrating the concrete with each bellowing step. Despite the being never putting a foot down on the ground, the noise of cracking concrete split through the eerie silence and chunks of it clattered around you in various sizes, from pebbles to bricks*

*Please, just…Move bit to the alley?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps violently at the debris, scrambling into the alley without a second thought. He pressed himself into the wall, tucking Phoebe away in his shirt. She protests a little, but only to stick her head out to see what was happening.

He shook and trembled, then glared at the sky. Could this thing hear his thoughts?

Hey, Jackass!

Come on, this has to work.

Tell me what you want from me!! I did what you asked, now tell me why you brought me here!*

limitless-liminals

*I can hear you, no need to yell or name call.* she giggled but it sounded stiff like an actor who’d never been properly told how to emote.

*….*

*Let’s check out the inside of the dumpster as I explain, yeah?*

The footsteps never stop. I thunder overhead like a vicious storm but I never once appear within your gaze. It’s hopeless to try.

*It wasn’t entirely up to me. I don’t know what they want but I’m just here to do what I gotta do. I liked your pigeon, so I maybe swayed the choice a bit.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What does Phoebe have to do with any of this? Couldn't you just have found another pigeon or something?

He cautiously shuffles over to the dumpster, eyeing it suspiciously.

What's in there? What do you want me to do with this??

He wasn't exactly in the mood for dumpster diving while his foot felt like this. Whatever this meant. All he really knew was that it wasn't pleasant and walking was a bit hard, so he clearly got injured. He didn't want it getting infected.*

limitless-liminals

*Have you seen her? She’s just so cute!*

*The open dumpster in front of you was eerily clean and shone with a brightness that didn’t match the dimness of the alleyway. The same hazy filter covered your vision from when you were falling, except this time it wasn’t as bad. The longer you lingered the worse the haze got as the scent of vinegar flooded your nostrils.*

*The green color of the water bottle blended in with the background of the dumpster as it sat perfectly upright. The only thing that stood out against the rest of the metal was the matte, black, plastic lid.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*...That... Still didn't seem very appealing. He didn't exactly feel like hurling his guts the second he saw his body stretch for the second time within a few minutes.

Where will that take me?

He wasn't exactly pleased about running for his life again. And fighting with this... being to get some basic answers while doing so? With some strange, Dreamlands-like logic?

...Why didn't he think of this before.

Kayne. Send me back to the Waylay. Arthur and John are going to panic. At least let me say goodbye.

Please. He didn't want to lose them yet. He wanted to go back to the Waylay.

The realization shocks him a little. Why go back there? With the many unknown dangers? Why not want to go home home?

...Because he didn't have a home anymore. Of course. He cringed at himself.

Wait, can you hear everything I'm thinking? Even the things I'm not thinking... Louder? I guess?

Say no. Please say no.*

limitless-liminals

*…You want me to say no, but I think we both know the answer is yes.* she awkwardly cleared her throat.

*Theres not really an “Off the air” button for you folks like there is for my partner and I. If you can think it, I can work my way into your mind…people usually don’t think about that and I get some…creative folks.*

*Anyways! Who is Kayne? And I don’t think that guy can bring you anywhere? That dumpster you may have to find out about though.*

*CRASH!*

*A block of concrete landed a foot away from your head, cracking the floor.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps away from the debris, stifling a yelp. Phoebe lets out a soft coo in response. He plants his hand over his beak.

Well, lucky for you, I've had practice.

That was all he needed. His mind went quiet. Eerily quiet. He's clearly done this before. They couldn't even read his expression.

He shuffled over to the dumpster. He put his hands on his hips. He stared at it blankly. His thoughts come back.

Do you not know where this goes?

His thoughts go silent again.*

limitless-liminals

*HEY, WHAT, THATS NOT FAIR! COME BACK!*

*The steps paused over head and alongside your thoughts going silent, so did the city. You could hear a pin drop and each breath carried farther on the wind than you might’ve been comfortable with.*

*And I know where that dumpster goes, thank you very much. The waterbottle is still in there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He smiles, raising an eyebrow.

Care to fill me in, doll?

Silence.

If not, I do quite enjoy the quiet...

He steps away from the dumpster, leaning on the opposite wall and staring up at the sky. Smiling. Cocky.*

limitless-liminals

*I actually…uhm…hold on…*

Shuffling papers filled the silence.

*…one second.*

More shuffling, frantic.

*So…this is awkward but I lost the paper…and I don’t know this area that well so…we can find out together?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His smile falls. He raises an eyebrow.

Silence.*

limitless-liminals

*…You just gonna stand there? I lost the paper. There’s not much I can do…*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't budge. Guess the answer was yes.*

limitless-liminals

*Damn, okay. I could really use my partner right now. They’d know where to find it…*

More scavenging and then a satisfied hum.

*Oh! Okay, found it. Let me read anddddddd….huh, that’s a surprise. So, it’s actually just a normal dumpster. Well, as normal as you can get around here.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of moving, he checks his wrist like he's checking a watch. He doesn't have a watch.*

limitless-liminals

*Did you hear me? It’s a normal dumpster! What more are you wantttinnnggggg.* she whined like a toddler having a tantrum.

*rude.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He taps his foot a few times, then pulls Phoebe out of his shirt, holding her under his arm like a pile of books.

Okay, well. If you're gonna be like that, what was the thing stomping around before?*

limitless-liminals

*Be like WHAT? I’m not being like anything. I’m just trying to have a dandy ol’ day and you’re— you know what, never mind. Fine, okay, the thing was—*

—No.

*…Something I can’t say.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Aaand silence.*

limitless-liminals

*Well, fuck you too. Have fun navigating this place alone.*

My stomping begun once again and with it, a storm of concrete hit the floor as buildings began to crumble and collapse.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stays quiet for a little longer. That is, until

Do you control that?

They're let back in. Fear is radiating off of him. He was able to mask all of that. The terror, the fear, the dread. He knew how to hide that.

The King trained him well.

He walks over to the dumpster. His fear spikes before easing a bit. Just water. A normal dumpster for this place. It would be fine.*

limitless-liminals

They won’t reply to you. No, you fucked up. You pushed too hard and now you’re at this world’s mercy.

They were your guide. Your light in the tunnel. A potential road to escape if you played your cards right but you dealt the wrong hand.

The voice came like a whisper on the wind, guiding each syllable against his eardrum. A piece of concrete smashed the floor right next to his foot as a nearby building was dangerously leaning.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Oh, fuck him. He immediately hops in the dumpster, infection be damned. He slams the lid over his head, screws his eyes shut, and clings to Phoebe like his life depends on it. Because honestly? It kind of does. He's alone again. He only has this damn bird. And she didn't know what the hell was happening either. She was a bird.*

limitless-liminals

The chaos around him ensued like a horrible thunderstorm. At one point, the concrete slamming against the floor was loud enough to shake the confines of the dumpster. Simultaneously, a giant chunk slammed against the plastic cover, nearly crushing it, while another dented the side with a bang.

Amongst the chaos was a rushing footsteps that slammed against the floor in a flurry. They turned in direction several times, as if searching. Either that, or it was general panic. It was close to his dumpster.

A friend?

“What the fuck!”

The yell was like a whisper amongst the noise.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks one arm over his head and curls around his core, keeping Phoebe there. He wanted to ignore how much he was shaking.

And a voice. A human voice. He could almost cry with relief. Maybe he was. He couldn't tell. He was so tired of this.

What if it was a trick. Could he take that risk? Could he take the risk of a trick for the chance of seeing another person here? To see another person terrified and in need of help, just like him.

No. No, he couldn't. He was told to go in here. So he would. And he would stay here, even if they didn't come back. It was hidden, it was safer than being out in the open like that.*

limitless-liminals

There was a crash and then the footsteps sprinted right beside the dumpster. It was difficult to hear over everything else but their breathing was ragged and frantic, more akin to wheezing than anything else.

“Holy shitholyshitholyshit,” the voice muttered, yelping as concrete hit the top of the dumpster right again.

But it didn’t break.

Logical reasoning would deduce that he probably had a second before the dumpster was opened.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Well... It'd be fine. He has a gun. If this is a trick, if this person did mean harm, he has his gun! He could just... Shoot. That's what people do with guns.

He took a deep breath to calm his shaking hands. He clicked the safety off his pistol. And he aimed.

And waited.

His shaking didn't stop. He cursed himself internally for the stupid adrenaline that's almost always running through his veins nowadays.*

limitless-liminals

The was a tiny pause of hesitation where the plastic was peaked open become being pulled open fully. What awaited on the other side was a scrappy looking man adorning a light taupe hood and dark green sweater that have both been patched and stitched together ten times at least. In his right hand, he held a knife but he wasn’t pointing it at Noel or anything in particular.

The man slammed the dumpster shut upon staring down the barrel of a gun, leaping at least four feet back. In that split second, Noel could see the wide eyes and sweating skin.

Silence. How the fuck is he meant to reply to that? Does he run?

aguidetothemultiverse

*Noel wouldn't be surprised if he looked like a scared kid, hiding away in a dumpster like this.

...

Okay. Uh... Okay. He... he looked pretty real, but... There was no way to tell.

...There was really no harm in asking, was there? Deep breath, Charlie.

He lifted the lid and peeked out at the man, staring at him with a furrowed brow. He clicks the safety back on, but keeps his pistol in hand.*

"...Are you real?"

*He sticks his head fully out of the dumpster, glancing around the alley. Why did they want him to jump in here?? What the fuck?*

"Can..."

*Oh, he was going to sound insane...*

"Can you hear the... uh... The voice?"

*Was there anything more insane than a man in his 40s hiding in a dumpster aiming a pistol at some random guy with a pigeon on his chest?*

limitless-liminals

They stared, utterly baffled. Speaking of the voices, I finally returned from my not so kind break. I’m sorry if it takes me a second to get caught back up to speed.

Anyhow, the man’s eyes are flickering and head spinning around every so often, scanning for information. He flinches with every noise and presses his back against the wall. He looked just as panicked as you did and with his malnourished frame, there was a tad bit of resemblance between you and him during your…not so fortunate days.

“I think? Yes, I think I’m real,” he said, out of breath. He patted himself just to be sure.

“Can we— let’s put the gun away,”

who was he to make demands right now? That didn’t matter so long as the faux power remained in his shaking tone. To help them both, he put the knife into his harness.

“And uh…yeah. I hear— I hear it.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He swallows thickly when the voice returns.

...Since you're back in my mind, can you tell me if he's real? I think that's a fair trade.

Please. This has to work. She can hear everything he thinks again! Even the non-deliberate things!! Even this! He didn't even realize he was thinking it!! Come on!!

He takes a breath. Focus. There's a guy here, real or not. He looked insane. He slowly crawled out of the dumpster, making sure to keep his pistol in hand, but aimed down. When his foot lands on the ground, he has to fight the urge to wince. It didn't hurt too much, but it was so unbelievably jarring, he felt like his mind was tearing itself apart at the sensation alone.*

"How long have you been here?"

*He shoots another nervous glance around the alley. He would prefer to not get caught by something while his foot was still... like this.*

limitless-liminals

Do you not believe him? I’d describe him as quite real but it’s up to interpretation I suppose. There’s only so much that a narrator can do.

Anywho…where was I…right…

The man’s eyes widened as he tried to back up more, only for his back to hit the wall. His eyes continued examining, always looking for details, but he continued to stare back to the gun…and now your foot. He was certainly the perceptive one, if I had to say so myself.

“I don’t know…I don’t really— time isn’t something I have a good grasp on. Right before everything started falling around us, I guess?”

With each crash, he flinched and anticipated impact only for it never to come.

“Where even IS here?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Of course I don't believe him! Why would I? I don't know how your powers work yet! I don't know what you're capable of!!

He was starting to get a bit uncomfortable under the other man's gaze. He couldn't exactly help the foot thing, so there was no point in staring. The gun was a bit more understandable, but come on, he has no reason to trust this guy yet!*

"I ain't too sure myself."

*Phoebe flutters out from the dumpster, landing on his head. It throws off his balance for a swift moment, but he regains it rather quickly.*

"The first time things started falling or the second time."

*There were probably times before that, too, but he was going based off of his perception, so...

What was it that caused the falling anyway? Was it you? Were you mad at me? Was that it?

That was probably it. Punishment. Despite the deliberate tone that came with the louder thoughts, there were twinges of guilt and terror laced in it. That all this was his fault. That somehow, someway, everything that's happened to him up until this point was all due to some actions he's taken at some point.*

limitless-liminals

Right…I can’t even blame you for your paranoia since it’ll get you far here. I’ll tell you that I’m primarily behind the scenes. Most of what happens around here is entirely unrelated to my own actions. Believe whatever you want but that’s the truth.

The man’s eyes widened upon seeing the creature land on your head. He seemed torn between reaching out and running away. His mouth fell agape, only for him to to remember to close it a second later.

He shook his head, shaking away his silly ideas, “I’m assuming the second since I don’t know the first. We need to take cover before we keep talking though because—“

CRASH!

Perfect timing. It nearly took out his foot though. Twinning would’ve been horrible in this instance.

“…that. That’s why we should take cover.”

His eyes repeatedly went back to the foreign critter. Words hung on his tongue, unspoken. His eyes narrowed in thought.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stumbles back towards the dumpster at the crash of debris. Phoebe flaps her wings wildly at the movement. She spots the other man and deems him as a much more stable host than Noel and flies over to him, landing on his head.

Noel stares at her just as he's about to swing his leg back into the dumpster.*

"Phoebe, get back here."

*At least she thought he was real. Didn't exactly make him feel any better. He kept his voice stern, like he was commanding a misbehaving child.

Will he hurt her? If he tries to hurt her, can you stop him?*

lepi-rp-sideblog

Believe me, I think you’re fine.

The man nearly dove for the dumpster as well until the pigeon landed on his head, to which he froze like a statue. His breath caught in his throat as if an exhale would disturb the bird. Unlike before, he didn’t flinch at any of the clattering. No, he couldn’t. Not until the bird moved

aguidetothemultiverse

*She doesn't budge.*

"Phoebe!"

*He holsters his pistol, walking over to the other man and snatching the bird from his head.*

"Jesus, I'm sorry about her... Got a mind of her own, this one."

*He chuckles nervously, tucking her under his arm like a book before hopping in the dumpster, taking Phoebe with him.

Oh. He left quite a bit of blood in there.

Are there any bandages around here? I kinda need some, if you couldn't tell.

He really hoped he wasn't losing too much blood to affect his ability to really do much of anything within a matter of hours.*

limitless-liminals

He matches his nervous laugh with one of his own but he doesn’t relax. No, he stayed frigid as he stares with the bird with a level of admiration, terror, and confusion not fit for a pigeon. He glances back to Noel with a furrowed brow and an unspoken question.

“No, no…it’s good. You’re good.”

He physically has to shake his head to reset his mind before climbing into the dumpster. The chaos was picking up around them after all and he didn’t seem to mind the blood too much as he balled himself up.

And to answer your question, there are bandages around here but I’m not allowed to provide you with any.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks Phoebe to his chest, grabbing the lid and slamming it shut when he's confident the other man is fully in the dumpster. And if he was a threat, then... well, Noel had a gun. He also wasn't afraid to use his teeth.

He offers a strange look back at the man's own strange look at the pigeon.

What's his problem with Phoebe? Does he want to eat her? Should I be worried? Did you lie to me before?

The thoughts come in a panicked flurry. He may be able to control what gets through, but he can't control the emotion that comes with them. He's always hated that. The King would take advantage of it when he didn't have the ability to speak, when his face was too swollen for his lips to work, when his tongue was torn out and shoved down his throat.

He takes a breath. Stop thinking about the King. He couldn't let himself get distracted here.*

"Got a name? Or somethin' to call you by?"

*He keeps his voice just barely below a whisper.

You got a name, too?

Might as well know what to call his captor while he's getting names.*

limitless-liminals

The man looked between the bird and you with a furrowed brow, still trying to put some pieces together. Despite that, he was still missing plenty of other pieces that would complete this puzzle.

He had to shake his head again, remembering that he had to respond, “My name is Simon. What’s yours?”

And as for myself, there’s no need for a name. You can call me Narrator one if you wish, or just Narrator. The other voice you hear is called Kiki.

Your other questions are up to you to find out. I will tell you that I don’t tend to be a liar though. I suppose that may be hard to believe for someone like you though.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a scowl at that last comment. "Someone like him"? What was that supposed to mean?! Sure, he had some trouble believing things to be real, but there's reasoning behind it!!

Whatever. Whatever! It didn't matter. He takes a steady breath. He automatically goes to answer as "Charlie," but stops. Dammit, Arthur and John were really getting in his head. He needed to tell them to stop calling him that. It wasn't good for him, no matter how good it felt.*

"Noel."

*He goes to hold his hand out to shake, but pulls his hand back relatively fast. He didn't know if this place had the same greeting customs as back home.

After a moment of confused staring, he cautiously holds Phoebe towards him. She's unbothered by the movement.*

"You ever see a pigeon before?"

*There was a hint of amusement in his voice, but his grip on her was firm. If Simon decided Phoebe was a delicious snack that was only a couple feet away, then he'd get a shoe to the face and Phoebe would be back at his chest. She seemed to trust him, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon nearly goes to shake his hand before raising an eyebrow in confusion at him pulling it back. That was a bit rude but okay…his hands weren’t that gross.

“Nice to meet you,” he nodded, flinching as there was another loud bang.

He was too focused on that, that when presented with the feathered creature, he nearly had a heart attack. Simon froze and shuffled backwards until he was pressed against the side of the dumpster.

“Pi-geon…? Is…is that a pigeon? How do you know what to call it?”

So, clearly the answer was no.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls Phoebe back at Simon's terror of her with a confused smile.*

"Uh... Yeah. She's a pigeon. I know 'cause I live in New York City and they're everywhere...?"

*He chuckles.*

"Have you seriously never seen a pigeon before?"

*He holds her out again. What if this guy was from a timeline where pigeons didn't exist? Or were just a myth? Or... Dead? Why wouldn't pigeons exist??? That didn't make sense to him.*

"She ain't gonna hurt you, at least not on purpose. I should probably shave down her claws at some point, but it won't draw blood."

*The bird in question tilts her head to stare at Simon with a singular eye. She lets out a little rumbly coo.*

"...Actually, I don't think she's ever bit me. She's real docile for a bird that just showed up at my doorstep one day."

limitless-liminals

Simon was frigid, the only motion being one where he pushed his back further into the cool metal. If he hadn’t had thick fabric on, it would’ve been a nice contrast to his clammy skin. If he had a shirt underneath, he would’ve taken it off due to how much the combination of the heat in the garbage and his own nerves was causing him to sweat.

“New York City? That place is long gone.”

What the fuck was happening to him? The only remnants of New York City was what got documented and what information has been carried through oral tradition.

“And no, I’ve never seen a pigeon. It’s not normal to be greeted by a holy being due it just…arriving on your doorstep. You shouldn’t be treating her like a pet.”

Dear God, he was sorry for doubting you because what was THAT?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's dumbfounded. Absolutely dumbfounded.*

"You're jokin', right?"

*He had to be, because he was in the city just a few... Well, he didn't know how long he'd been gone, but he was there!! Recently!! And "holy being"? What??????*

"She's... She's like a rat with wings, doll. If she could eat somethin' she's gonna eat it. That's all pigeons. They're far from holy."

*He looks around for a moment.*

"Frankly, if this thing weren't empty, I'm sure she'd be stuffing her little beak with everything she can."

*Hey Narrator? Could you tell him that pigeons are... Normal? I guess? He's too freaked out and I'm not sure if I could calm him down with just words and shoving Phoebe in his face.*

limitless-liminals

I can not. My role is not to persuade but just to provide information. Telling him that would be cheating.

“No, I’m not joking. I’m saying this out of concern but I don’t think you know what you’re dealing with,” he’s seen enough angel imagery to envision it with his eyes closed.

“Just because it carries silly habits,” Simon glanced at Phoebe, “and forgive me for calling it silly, doesn’t mean she isn’t a higher power.”

Besides, he hardly understood that comparison anyways due to ignorance about rats.

aguidetothemultiverse

*What. Are you serious? Oh, you've got to be kidding him.

That is information. You're not persuading him of anything, you're just telling him that pigeons are normal...? At least this one. I think.

He really hopes that she's a normal pigeon. She hasn't really shown any signs of not being a normal pigeon. If she wasn't a normal pigeon, well... She seemed to like being treated like a normal pigeon.*

"I'm not gonna be able to convince you otherwise, will I?"

*He sets Phoebe in his lap and gently scratches around her eyes. She leans into the touch.*

"Well, whatever you believe, she seems to enjoy being treated like a regular old pigeon. Eats seeds, flies around, coos at me when she wants food, shits in my hat, coos at me some more just for the sake of it. You know, regular old pigeon stuff."

*He keeps scratching her for a moment more. Then stops. He holds her up again.*

"She likes being scratched between her eyes and little ear holes, you know. She'll tilt her head so you could scratch better, even."

limitless-liminals

Pigeons being normal is an opinion. I’m not meant to provide opinions like that. My job is not to argue, just to blend into the background in most cases. Saying that would just begin a conflict I’m not meant to participate in. I’m simply following the rules.

“I don’t know…” He narrowed his eyes, examining the bird closer. “I don’t really have ‘pigeons’ back on Eden…but if she wants to be treated like a normal pigeon, whatever that means, then I won’t deny her.”

He had doubted religion for a long time. It began early but maybe Simon had to reevaluate. It wasn’t as if being taken here has another explanation.

He stared at the pigeon, reaching his hand out, pulling it back, before finally scratching in the spot Noel described.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Eden? Like the garden? From the bible? Was this guy hyper-religious to the point of never seeing a pigeon? Christ...

Well, he could ask questions later. Phoebe was overjoyed at the prospect of a new person. She wrestled her way out of Noel's hands, hopping into Simon's lap and cooing happily. She waltzed around in a small circle before shoving her face back into Simon's hand, awaiting scritches.*

"Looks like she likes you!"

*He chuckles softly at her excitement. She was a goofy little thing. Hold on.

What's Eden? Just the information on it, not opinions.*

simon-thebutcher

Simon sucked in a sharp breath of air as Phoebe hopped onto his laps. His hands floated in the air around him, unsure of what to do before cautiously scratching the same spot as before.

He mumbled something inaudible to Noel but with a tone between confusion and dread. His eyes matched those emotions with eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m glad…” deep breath. “She’s…soft.”

And why don’t you ask him instead? Get to know each other.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a frown again.

Thanks a lot.*

"So, uh... Mind tellin' me what Eden is? Got somethin' to do with the bible?"

*He probably shouldn't throw a barrage of questions at him. But who could blame him for being just a teensy bit curious about the guy who lived somewhere without pigeons who thought they were angels. Pigeons as angels. Sky rats. Equated to angels. There's very clearly something going on here, and it was not normal.*

"You don't gotta, it'll just give me a better grasp of your... Perception of Phoebe."

*How could someone expect another person to treat a pigeon like an angel? That was insane!

Phoebe was having a great time with Simon, though. She nestled into him for a second, then walked around in an excited circle, then bobbed her head up and down, then did it all over again. He really hoped she wouldn't bite him to grab his attention at some point, it might just scare the poor guy away.*

limitless-liminals

He gradually settled down but he instead concentrated his worry on chewing the dead skin off of his lip. Simon watched the bird with the degree of interest a child would upon seeing their favorite cartoon. He couldnt help but snicker a bit at the movements, petting her head again. At the very least, he was quickly getting a tad more used to her.

He had an expression Noel could recognize from a mile away as he described it: longing.

“Ah, Eden is my home. It’s named after the place in the Bible, yes. It used to be a Mars space station, the first human colony beyond earth, before The Quiet Rapture happened and now there’s no Mars. I sometimes wish we had more, sure, but it was home.”

He didn’t understand how Noel didn’t know that already but something was clearly amiss here.

“…how’s New York City?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's utterly dumbfounded. Mars. The fucking planet. This guy made it off Earth. And he lived there. And "The Quiet Rapture"? What the fuck was that??*

"Mars..."

*He couldn't help but blurt it out. His mind was racing. He was speaking with a human from space. He's never done that before! He scrambles for his notebook and quickly jots down "Universe 35 - Eden's home", underlining it few times. Underneath he writes. "Met a guy who used to live on Mars! Now he just lives... out there? I guess?" He underlines "Mars" a few times for emphasis. Because... wow.*

"Uh... Right, New York. It's-"

*This guy's probably never been to Earth. That's why he doesn't know what a pigeon is.*

"Big. To put it simply."

*How does he explain New York City to someone who's never been to Earth??*

"Uh. It's loud. Real loud. Lotta people call it the "City that Never Sleeps", and they're not really lyin' about it. People are always doing something at any hour of the day. All year round."

*Christ, what else can he say? Well. Pigeons. He gestures to Phoebe.*

"Pigeons are everywhere. She's a great example of one. One of the bigger ones that I've seen around, but I've absolutely seen bigger. There's also always some sorta light on. It... can kinda be like a maze if you haven't been there before, but you get the hang of it over time."

*He felt like he was advertising it. There was really no good way to explain the City, especially to someone who'd never been to an Earth city before. But even if they have been to Earth, it was still hard to explain.*

"The buildings are real tall. Call 'em skyscrapers 'cus they touch the sky. And all of them are basically touching, wall to wall. You mix that with the amount of people and you've barely got any room to breathe."

*He chuckles. He kinda missed it, the ability to just... Blend in with the crowd, not get as many strange looks for the large scar that ran across his face, feel like a ghost in a graveyard. Where he was meant to be.

Sure, a break from the crowds was nice, but he preferred not feeling so exposed like this. In one way or another.*

"But, back to you. What's the 'Quiet Rapture'? Is it some War that I should be prepared for in the future?"

*He laughs. It's strained.

Please say no. He couldn't go through another one of those. He couldn't lose his friends again.*

limitless-liminals

Simon glanced back up at him and just sorta…stared. He was trying to put two and two together on why it was so shocking and…why in the world is he writing this down? I mean, they documented stuff on Eden but they didn’t feel the need to document stuff that should be basic knowledge.

His confusion only worsened upon your description as he nodded slowly, trying to picture it in his head. Simon was likely way off but it was better than nothing. It wasn’t as though he had much reference for living spaces that size nor that many people clumped together.

“That’s…woah…weird, but impressive.”

Without realizing, he had stopped petting Phoebe, to which he mumbled an apology for before continuing.

“During the Quiet Rapture, we don’t really know why but all stars and habitable planets just disappeared. There’s space ships and some moons left, sure, but nothing that’s as abundant as Earth’s materials,” he sighed. “I was born after it happened so I can’t give you much besides what I’ve been told.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Maybe I should try drawing it for him... What do you think of that? Or is that too opinionated for you?

He stifles a mischievous little chuckle at that.

As he's taking in the new information about Simon's universe, writing along as fast as he can, Phoebe decides to explore this new person. If he was going to stop petting her, it was her turn to figure this guy out! She clambers up his shirt until she makes it to his shoulder. She tilts her head a few times at his hair (it looked much softer than Noel's, he had to admit).

Then, she plucked a hair from his head, feeling it in her beak. Noel lets out a yelp when he spots her doing this.*

"Hey! Phoebe! You don't need his hair for nesting!! I'll getcha some other stuff!"

*He taps her on the beak lightly, but made sure to have enough force to reprimand her. Nothing that would hurt, if anything, she'd just be annoyed by it.*

"We just met the guy! Be nice!"

*She bites his finger. He frowns at her.*

limitless-liminals

Draw it if you’d like. I’m not stopping you. I think that’s a good way to present information.

Simon was like a statue whenever she explored. He stared with much more fear and uncertainty than what was appropriate for a pigeon. The only reaction she earned was a sharp inhale from her plucking.

Once Noel reacted so freely though, he raised his voice slightly, “Hey, be respectful!”

A crash echoed outside the dumpster right after he spoke.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He slowly holds his hands up in a show of mercy, staring in the direction of the noise. He didn't hurt her...? She was fine. She actually went back to plucking some strands of Simon's hair out, tossing them in Noel's direction.

Also. Did he do that? Or did something hear them? *

"She's not bein' very respectful."

*He grabs her from Simon's shoulder, setting her in his own lap.*

"You're just doin' that to do it, ya little rascal."

*She wrestles out of his grip before settling between the two men. She ignores the couple of strands of hair she pulled from Simon's head, only further proving Noel's point. She then starts to preen herself.*

"She doesn't care, anyway. I do that to her all the time. Hell, I throw her and she enjoys it. A little tap to the nose is probably more playful than reprimanding."

*He grimaces. He should probably find a better form of training her, then...*

limitless-liminals

“She can do whatever she would like,” he scoffed.

Simon allowed her to pluck as much hair as she liked and stared with fascination at the simple act of preening. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. He didn’t have any reference for why she would do that in the first place nor why she needed hair.

But who was he to protest?

Simon plucked out a chunk more of his hair and set it down in front of Phoebe.

“I don’t think she needs reprimanded.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of accepting the clump of hair, she whacks him with her wing as Noel puts his hands up in a panic.*

"Woah, woah, woah! Let's- Let's not tear your whole scalp off for her, alright?"

*He takes Simon's hands and places them in his lap.*

"If she's gonna take your hair, it's gonna be of her own doing. She doesn't really like it when people get hurt. Unless she's the one causing it, I guess."

*He drops his voice to a murmur for that last bit. Simon didn't need to know how much of a hypocrite this bird was. That was for Noel and Phoebe on their own.*

"I let her do most things mosta the time anyway. She could at least be polite to strangers."

*He ruffles the feathers on the top of her head, putting on a voice like one would use to talk to a puppy while speaking to her.*

"Hear that? Be polite, ya little rat!"

*She coos in response, biting his finger playfully. He chuckles softly with a tiny "ow, what the hell, Pheeb?" and a smile on his face.*

limitless-liminals

Simon flinches in surprise, not expecting that reaction. He blinked and stared between the two, assessing the level of danger. Noel seemed to be okay but the ‘pigeon’ was an element that couldn’t be considered as simply. No, he had to tread on thin ice.

“It’s not that much hair, it’s alright…but if she doesn’t want me to, I won’t. I was just trying to help.”

His confusion only increases with the exchange that those two shared, “And she’s just okay with this?”

Anyhow, how long are you two just going to sit here talking?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls his hands away from Phoebe's face, who immediately goes to waddle back into his lap. He gestures to her.*

"Seems it to me."

*He chuckles a little at her. His stupid pigeon. To think that he tried to get rid of her at first.

And then he sighs, closing his eyes. He briefly thinks to appreciate Arthur for his ability to hold a straight face most of the time.*

"Is the narrator also trying to get you out of the dumpster? Even though she, uh, you know, told me to come in here?"

*There's a twinge of anger in his voice, but he smiles with it. It's a very strained smile.*

"Oh, also, didn't you just hear some rubble outside? Or was that just me?"

*Passive aggression, what a tool. His favorite, even. Maybe he was a bit light on the "passive" part of it, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon smiled at the bird’s behavior, finally settling into the existence of her at the very least. She seemed to be happy from his first impression, so who was he to judge? That wasn’t his role in existence.

“Uh, they never told me to jump into here but they’re also not telling me to get out? They’ve been quite quiet for me. Are they not quiet for you…? I don’t even have a label like you do.”

Another crash hit outside, louder, angry.

“But yeah, I’ve been hearing everything crashing.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He can feel his eye twitch.*

"No, no, they've been talkin' back and forth with me for a bit. Asked us how long we were going to sit here and chat for."

*He glares at the roof of the dumpster.*

"Come on, now that I'm acknowledging you, you don't wanna say anything?"

*He sighs, turning his attention back to Simon.*

"If you think really loud in sentences, it can be a back and forth conversation. Well, back and forth if I can get a response at all."

*He was very tired of this. The not-his pain was starting to make him a bit woozy. It was probably blood loss.*

"Could you tell me what's makin' the ruckus outside yet or is the answer to that still no?"

*He crosses his arms, letting his back fall against the side of the dumpster as he awaits a response from the Narrator.*

limitless-liminals

“Really? I haven’t gotten anything like that.”

He paused for a moment, trying to think really hard like Noel instructed. It wasn’t an elaborate message, just a simple hello, an attempt to reach out. I responded back with a hello despite my discomfort.

To be frank with you, I don’t respond to you when I’m addressed because I don’t exactly like being addressed. That’s not my role. I’d enjoy it if you quit.

If you’re gonna keep asking, you’re gonna get similar replies though. If you wish to find out that information, go explore for yourself.

“What’s she saying to you? I just got a hello.”

aguidetothemultiverse

"Okay. Okay, sure..."

*He says it breathless, tired, done. He presses the balls of his palms into his eyes, tilts his head back, and groans.*

"Saying she doesn't like being addressed and that we should 'explore for ourselves'..."

*He drops his hands, glances at his wounded foot, then looks to the lid of the dumpster.*

"I'd personally rather be safe and sent home."

*There's some bite to his words now.*

"But sure, whatever. I'll go exploring. Hey, maybe I'll die! Wouldn't that be a fun narration?"

*Full bite. He shifts Phoebe to his shoulder, who is none the wiser and nestles into him. Just as he's about to push the top open, he pauses. When he speaks, none of that vitriol is there anymore. Just that sweet talking, New York accented voice.*

"Pain is different here, by the way. It doesn't feel like its on your body, but it's still there. Real weird. Just wanted to warn ya."

*And he hops out. He has to stifle a grunt of pain when he lands, not just from his foot, but in general. He was getting too old to be doing this sorta thing.*

limitless-liminals

I’ve narrated quite a few deaths. Some are more entertaining than others but only one have I had any direct influence on. I control your senses. I’d watch what you say.

“Honestly, this place very well may be better than home,” Simon grumbled.

He hesitated a second before following after you, not enjoying the idea of death. It certainly wasn’t a sweat taste on his tongue.

“That’s…odd,” he stared at Noel’s foot. “I’ll take it that’s how you found that out?”

Another crash. A building a few feet away crumbling to bits.

“We should get that bandages somehow…”

aguidetothemultiverse

*You're so reassuring! I love being here! I would also like to remind you that I figured out how to block you out of my head, so do with that what you will, doll.

He's already limping towards the crumbling building with his pistol in hand and a scowl on his face when Simon begins to follow. His scowl drops pretty quickly, morphing into a tired look when he turns towards the other man.*

"Yeah, unfortunately. Wanted to check how real things were, and, well... Got some information."

*He chuckles, trying to lighten the mood a little. Or just bring up his own spirits. He was tired of dealing with the Narrator's bullshit.*

"And... uh, yup. That was the goal. Asked for them a few times, even asked to be led to some, I think. Look where we are."

*He gestures to the blood trail he was leaving. It was weird seeing it with the feeling.*

limitless-liminals

I also control where you end up, doll. This location is quite favorable compared to a few others. I could just as easily send you there as I did here. Whether or not I can access your thoughts means little to me.

The man didn’t laugh, no, it was just a concerned gaze, “So, you shot yourself in the foot? Hold on, let’s pause here real quick.”

Simon placed a hand in the man’s chest to get him to stop. Fortunately, there wasn’t any other major crashing or footsteps. The streets were decorated with evidence of the chaos, buildings blocking paths and rubble piling up high.

He took his knife out of his harness and cut the bottom section of his sweater off in one long strip, careful not to slice himself in the process. Then, he kneeled down and glanced up to Noel, asking for him to raise his foot so he could wrap it easier.

“It’s not great but it’s something for now.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*His breathing stuttered when Simon's fingers grazed his chest. Every muscle in his body went rigid. He felt himself stumble back a few steps, but couldn't stop his body from doing it. He felt separated. He couldn't even properly come up with a witty response for the Narrator.

He was back in the Dreamlands. Screaming. Wailing. Pleading. Begging. Anything. It burned. Get it off. Get it off! Please! He'll do anything!

Then provide information? He didn't have that, though! He didn't have anything! Surely he could see that! He had stripped him bare!

Where was the fragment? He had no clue! He swore! He could never know! He didn't even-

His skin was not his own anymore. He was not a person anymore.

The bird on his shoulder whacked him with a wing. Someone else's hands scooped her up. Fingers feeling feathers. Lungs expand.

The feeling of his surroundings were returning. It felt like walking into a warm building after being in the freezing cold for hours, no, days on end. Phoebe was in his hands. She was cooing at him. He was staring at her.

He lets out the breath he didn't know he was holding.*

"Fuck."

*His voice shakes. He lets his eyes flutter shut. He presses Phoebe to his forehead. His heart was racing. But Phoebe was warm. She was heavy. She was in his hands. His hands. Because he had hands. And he was himself.

He waited for his heart to slow. It would only cause his bloodloss to be worse. He needed to calm down. Because it was fine. Nothing happened. It was just a touch.*

limitless-liminals

Simon froze and backed up, staring at you with wide eyes. His pupils flickered over every bit of your form. From face to toes, he was trying to decipher what happened.

It didn’t take long to figure out, after all, he’s seen this kind of reaction before. Hell, he’s seen it in himself unfortunately. It didn’t mean he knew what to do other than just sit there though.

*He earned that,* Kiki grumbled.

It’s nice to see you again.

Anyhow, he was beyond grateful for the pigeon being able to aid in place of him. He stared back down at his foot though, make-shift bandage in hand.

“Sorry, I just needed to bandage your foot,” he grumbled, shoulders tense.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's sure his eyes look hazy and far off. He still didn't feel exactly like himself, but... Well, he needs to focus. He clears his throat, limping back over to Simon and sitting next to him. Made it easier on his foot.*

"No, no. I'm sorry. Shouldn't've made you see that."

*He takes the piece of cloth from the other man before slipping his shoe off. A jolt of pain shoots around his leg. It's disorientating. He almost let the thought that he'd much rather just the regular old pain he was used to slip into his mind, but stopped it before it could get very far. He was too... something to block off his mind from the Narrator and... Kiki. A name to the voice. At least he got that.

He peels his sock off with a hiss, the drying blood clinging to the wound. It reveals numerous other scars across just his foot alone. Other bullet wounds, a ring around his ankle, burns on the sole of his foot, and some other miscellaneous scars.

He doesn't react to them. They're his own scars, he knows them by heart. Instead, he sticks one hand into his mouth and digs into the wound. His hand would probably bruise in a few minutes, but it made it easier to wrestle the bullet out. He places it on the ground, to which Phoebe immediately goes to examine.

And, again, instead of just wrapping it, he begins to pack the wound. He shoves as much of the cloth into the opening as he could. He does it quickly and efficiently, a practiced motion. He's done this what felt like hundreds of times before.

When he's done, and his fingers are coated with blood, he leans his head back. He stares at the ceiling. He wished it was the sky.*

"Thank you, and... uh. Sorry. For that."

*He gestures to the spot he was in just a few minutes ago, hyperventilating and paranoid.*

limitless-liminals

Simon wasn’t expecting for the fabric to be taken and he nearly tries to snatch it back. When he notices Noel’s confidence, he decides to sit back and keep watch for anything of interest. Buildings were still crumbling around them but where they had settled, all the major structures had already collapsed.

He stares at his foot and the abundance of scars first, then the precision of his movements. It didn’t take a genius to put two and two together that this man had been through some shit. He wanted to ask but given the last reaction, that didn’t seem the wisest. Maybe, later.

When the bullet came out, he picked it up, using his sleeve to act as a glove. He offered it to Phoebe, careful to make sure she didn’t try to eat it. If she wasn’t interested, he’d just pocket it just in case.

“No, there’s nothing to worry about. You’re fine. People have emotions, god forbid,” he remarked sarcastically. “I’ll try not to nudge’ya like that in the future.”

“Do you need anymore fabric?”

He didn’t want to cut any more of his sweater but Noel was a man in need.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Phoebe tilts her head at the bullet in Simon's hand. She goes to peck at it, but misses, accidentally biting his hand. It doesn't hurt, it's just a little pinch.

Noel doesn't spot it. He's still staring upwards. Breathing slowly. Focused.

These weren't the trenches. This was his own blood. It wasn't of some boy who's name he didn't know caught in the barbed wire. It was his own blood.*

"N-No, it's- It's fine. I've-"

*Breathe. He's breathing. It's fine. In through his nose, out through his mouth. Just like Roland taught him.

He tilts his head down to stare at the wound.*

"This should be fine. I've worked with less and it healed just fine."

*He forces a smile, again trying to lighten the mood. He slips the sock back on before he's back in his shoe and on his feet. He holds out his cleaner hand to help Simon up.*

"And seriously. I'm sorry about that. It doesn't matter if they're emotions. I should have better control over them."

*Phoebe clambers up to Simon's shoulder. Betrayal.*

#part 1 #to be continued #completed #🫁#🚬🔎

aguidetothemultiverse

It’s getting quite hot out here, is it not? I’m going to have to switch to my summer clothes soon! If you would be so kind, dear, what is Noel doing on this sweltering afternoon?

@limitless-liminals

*He's been hanging around the infirmary, staying close by Arthur and John's side, monitoring his healing. His guilt was eating him up. Any time Phoebe lost a feather, he'd pick it up and fiddle with it until it practically fell apart, much to Phoebe's dismay. She was trying to nest out of those!! On Arthur's chest!!! And he was taking her nesting materials!!*

limitless-liminals

A knock rang through the infirmary from the door but when he turned, there would be no one there. What was there instead was an ethereal, white feather that glittered in the sterile lights as it floated down from the top of the doorway.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tenses immediately. He stares suspiciously at the feather. No. Nope. Not doing that.

He grabs Phoebe and sets her to his chest. She would not be the reason he gets into another eldritch mess, she would not be getting hurt by another eldritch being. Nope.

But, God, his curiosity was killing him. He wanted to know what was up with this. Why a feather? Why a feather when he just got attached to this bird?? What was trying to lure him? Where was it trying to lure him?*

limitless-liminals

Plop.

It was a wet splotch as it hit the tile and it sounded as though it dropped into a puddle that never was there. The shape was round, a perfect sphere roughly the size of a marble, white with another circle colored with— It was an eyeball.

*Yikes! People typically need those, don’t you think? Well, unless you’re like our buddy Arthur here who conveniently has a John to keep him company.*

The narrator spoke in a cheerful tone within his head, a sing-song lilt in each syllable with a poorly hidden giggle. Their voice was fairly androgynous, maybe a tad masculine if you squint, but it was fairly young if Noel had to guess.

*Aw, thank you for the compliment! I don’t consider myself that young but I’m glad I still have my sparkle. Oh! Shoot, Noel, you can’t hear the other voice, can you? I’m sorry for the confusion, I’ll quiet down!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He grimaces.*

"Goddammit... Not again..."

*His voice shakes. He was so tired. He was so fucking tired. He didn't want to hear any more voices. The King was bad enough in the Dreamlands, then there was Aamon, and now this?!

He glanced around nervously. Maybe other people could see this. Maybe other people could hear this. Maybe it wasn't just him being greeted by whatever this was.

That or he had finally lost it. Maybe he really went cooky this time. He knew he'd snap at some point, but frankly, he was expecting a bit more time until then.

...Was any of this real? Did he just... Die at the Order and this is... What, his brain making something up to ease him into death? This wasn't a fun way to be eased into death. He'd assume that his brain would pick something nicer. Maybe the real Noel, or Roland. Hey, maybe both. Of course, Arthur and John would be there, too.

Ugh, stay focused, Dowd! This thing can speak in his head, he shouldn't be getting distracted!!*

limitless-liminals

*Huh, not again? Does this specific stuff happen to you a lot? I know someone who has a repeating scenario happen every two days! Is it like that?*

Dear, as much as I love your enthusiasm, let’s stick to the plot.

*Oh! Right, the plot. So sorry. I need to stop getting side tracked.*

The eye began rolling toward Noel, each time sounding like it was in an ocean of viscous liquid that never was there. The floor remained as dry as it typically was.

aguidetothemultiverse

"N-No- No, no! We're not doing this!"

*He places Phoebe on Arthur's cot, pulling his pistol out and pointing it at the eye. He stands on the chair to get more distance.*

"Stay back!! I'm not- I'll shoot!!"

limitless-liminals

*Huh? Thats not me. Thats just an eye, silly!*

It stopped rolling and the feather began flying through the air as if on wind that didn’t exist in the infirmary. It made circles before looping back around and weaving through the air in various zig zags.

The eye only watched.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He cowers away from the feather, aiming his gun at the both of them.*

"Leave me alone!!"

*He was shaking. He needed to stop doing that. It was happening too much. He just needed to calm down. Maybe this was all fake. Maybe this was a dream. Hey, this would be wonderful if it were a dream. He'd just need to wake up.

...He could shoot his foot to wake himself up. Ehh, that should probably be a last resort thing.*

limitless-liminals

*What was next on the itinerary?*

The sound of rummaging through papers could be heard as I try to search for the list. Typically, I was more organized than this but with all the new information they’ve been giving out, it was nearly impossible.

*Take your time!*

Found it! Okay, Noel needs to…I probably shouldn’t say this where the viewers can see. Come closer to me so you can read it.

*hmmm….got it! Noel, honey, let’s put the gun down.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What?? No! He'd never do that!! He wasn't giving in! He's never given in before, he wasn't planning on starting now!!*

"Do you think I'm an idiot??"

*He shoots a glance at Phoebe. If this damn bird goes over to any of what's happening right now, he swears he'll be having roasted pigeon for dinner.*

"And don't call me honey. You're not gonna win me over with sweet words."

limitless-liminals

*A little, yeah, there’s not really avoiding this part. We kind of need it for the plot.*

The feather floated directly onto Arthur’s chest, not moving any more once it situated directly in the center. The eyeball just watched, pupil going wherever movement did.

*Actually, hold on, I think the rules got revised for what was allowed in there.*

More rummaging of paper.

*Oh! Nevermind, you can keep your gun. I’m sorry.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Phoebe eyes the feather curiously. It would work wonderfully in her little nest here... She took a step towards it and was almost immediately scooped up by Noel. He presses her against his chest and she lets out a shocked coo.*

"Leave me alone! I've got no information for ya! I've got nothin'!"

limitless-liminals

*…Why would I care for information? I got all the info I need!*

The sound of a pen scratching on paper could be heard followed the sound of footsteps. My lover hums gently as she reads over the words. Her voice-

*AHHHH! HOLY SHIT, ARTHUR! OH NO, OH NO, OH NO. THE FEATHER. YOU GOT TO DISPOSE OF IT. GET IT AWAY. BURN IT OUTSIDE. ITS THE ONLY WAY! GET UP! GET UP! FUCK, WAKE UP!*

…Okay, maybe it didn’t need to be that loud. Ouch.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He winces at the sudden increase in volume. When she quiets down, he leans forward and blows it off of Arthur's chest. Someone else could go and burn it. He was done leaving Arthur and John's side. He wasn't doing that again. They needed him, at least for now. At least while vulnerable like this.*

limitless-liminals

*Bud, you better go and light that feather on fire! I could stick you in a really horrible level if I—*

—I love the enthusiasm, honey, but let’s tone it down. Let’s turn to the collective vote of the viewers at home to see if we have the permission to skip over the process we had written down! He may end up in another level than what was planned but hey, who doesn’t love some improv?

Mumbling filled every corner of the room, seeping in from where we came from. I always hate how our worlds will bleed together but it’s inevitable.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He shudders, but doesn't budge. Whatever a "level" was, it didn't mean anything to him currently. If it was meant to be a meaningful threat, it really wasn't. He didn't even have a lighter!!*

"Come up with a better threat, doll."

*He tried to ignore the mumbling. It wasn't anything too out of the norm while encountering gods, so it was to be expected. It didn't make it any less unsettling, though. His ears always strained to understand what was being said, even if he didn't want to.

He held Phoebe a little closer to his chest. This thing couldn't do much to this world without his input, could it? And if it could, well, it hadn't yet. Just sounded like a challenge to him, so how much he could piss them off before some shit started happening.*

limitless-liminals

*The votes are in! Drum roll please!*

The sound of pit-patter covered up the mumbling as people slapped their legs repeatedly.

*WE’RE STICKING TO THE PLAN! For now at least…I quite like the idea we had going with this one.*

The feather blew back onto Arthur’s chest with some unnatural current of wind except this time, it didn’t settle there. It began trying to push through his lips and down his throat, easily going halfway there.

*And for your information, that was a great threat! You’re just dumb.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His eyes widen and he jumps to grab the feather, but stops a couple of inches away. Instead of just grabbing it, he wriggles his arm down his sleeve and grabs it, throwing it across the room. Of course, it's a feather, so things don't go exactly according to plan, but it's out of his grasp almost the second it was in it.*

"Tell me why it's good, then."

*He glares at the eyeball on the floor. A thought crosses his mind. He walks over to it and holds his foot above the organ. He goes quiet, listening.*

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see!*

Her voice was playful and more of a song than speaking as she held out the last syllable.

The feather complied with your action, remaining on the floor. We don’t have too much use for it anymore considering your lack of compliance.

The eyeball just watched. Unblinking.

*It doesn’t exactly have eye lids to blink with.*

Eh, you get the point.

*Squashing that thing won’t do much good for you though!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He frowns.*

"What'll happen? Why shouldn't I?"

*He shifts his grip on Phoebe. She felt real... Right?"

limitless-liminals

*You know what, now I don’t want to tell you anymore.*

Phoebe felt as real as she did before. The other objects were a different story. Your eyes began to develop a slight hazey filter over anything else you saw. Your only anchor was the pigeon.

aguidetothemultiverse

tw self harm

*His face goes blank. Oh. Okay. Uh. Cool.

He takes a couple of shaky steps away from the eye. Then points his pistol at his foot.

Without an ounce of hesitation, he pulls the trigger.*

limitless-liminals

*Yowch!*

It didn’t feel real.

The pain didn’t come as it typically would.

No, you felt it distantly with the same hazey filter.

Did it ever truly happen?

Maybe, you need to shoot again?

*I’ll take over the description then. Her voice had a hidden smile in its tone, barely contained by any attempts to relax back to the continuous monotone.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He felt dizzy. No... No. He's done this so many times. Did... He couldn't... No, no, no, no!

He drops the bird, or whatever it was, and falls to his knees. He curls his arms around his head.

And he screams.

Because he can't be back. There was no way. There was no way that these past two years have all been fake. It wasn't possible. He's shot his foot enough times to know that, but now? How now? When did the King get access to him again? And now he knew where that other half was?

So he screams. This was it. He was going to die. This was how he died. He couldn't do it again. It'd either be by his own hands or the King's, but either way, he was dying.

His screams quickly bled into sobs. He couldn't do this. He couldn't do this again.*

limitless-liminals

Ouch, my eardrums!

*You don’t even have those!*

Okay, but it’s a phrase! How am I meant to narrate in these conditions!

*Uh, uh, uh! I don’t know! Make him shut up!*

I hold my hands over my ear holes and I feel the road of my eye shake as I try to regulate myself. I never took fondly to loud noise and— CAN YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY OR I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL DROP YOU IN THE WORST CIRCUMSTANCES YOU CAN THINK OF! I WAS THINKING OF LETTING YOU WARM UP TO THE WHOLE PLACE BUT NOOOO, YOU HAVE TO SCREECH LIKE A BABY!

*…Three deep breathes*

…The sound of breathing can be heard.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tries to follow along with the sound of breathing, even if it wasn't for him, but he can't catch his breath. Tears flow freely from his eyes.

He can't do this again. He can't! He barely made it out alive last time! And Phoebe!! What would she do without him!!

He felt like a child. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go home with his Ma and Pa and curl up in their arms and never deal with this again.*

limitless-liminals

I don’t care. We’re skipping the pretenses to this. I’m done. I’ve had enough. We’re—

BOOOOOOOOOO

SHUT UP, SHUT THE FUCK UP! I DONT CARE WHAT THE VIEWERS WANT. YOURE LUCKY TO HAVE A GODDAMN SHOW. I DONT HAVE TO LIVE STREAM THIS.

*Uh, babe…turn around…*

What? What are you talking about? I— AGHHMMMMTGGGPPGHGGGGGGGG

*…Click…her mic has been muted…I- uh….gods, okay…I guess it’s just you and me now, big guy!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He only curls up more at the voice, shaking violently. He couldn't catch his breath. He couldn't stop sobbing. He couldn't he couldn't he couldn't he couldn't-

Phoebe? Was she still here? Where was his bird? He needed her right now. Where was she? Was she as scared as he was? He couldn't see. He couldn't think. Where was his bird?*

limitless-liminals

*Your bird is where you’d find her typically. Nothing happened to her. Nothing would happen to her.*

Her voice is shaky and uncertain. She moves away from the mic every so often, checking her surroundings, before going back to narrating.

*Lets…okay, please, for both of our sakes, follow my instructions, okay? Please. It will come for me too.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*One hand goes to clamp over his mouth, the other reaching for Phoebe, who immediately presses into him. He has to stifle a wail.

He curls around her, letting his tears drip onto her feathers. He gasps. Air. He needed air. Maybe they could help him get air.

He nods. Okay. Okay, they could maybe help him, even if they got him into this mess.*

limitless-liminals

*okay, okay, thank you, I appreciate it. Just…you see that tile that to the right of the door? I need you to stand on that. You can take the bird with you, I don’t care, you just gotta do that.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He nods again. He just... needed to catch his breath first. Everything was spinny. Deep breath. In and out. It was fine. He shifted the hand from his mouth to Phoebe, feeling her feathers.

Walk over to the tile. That's all he needed to do. The first step was get his feet underneath him. Okay, he could do that. He planted his feet on the floor and-

Oh. That was... disorientating. His pain immediately got more intense, but... was it even his own pain? When he stood up, his leg almost gave out. It was probably his pain. Oh, he hated this. He hated this so much. This was just like the Dreamlands. Oh, he was going to vomit.

No, he had a task. Stay focused, Dowd!!

He hobbled (because that's what it was, his foot was almost dragging behind him) over to the tile, Phoebe held tightly in his arms. He stands on it.

God, he felt like a kid, holding Phoebe like she was a stuffed animal, tears pouring from his eyes. He couldn't even stop it if he tried.*

limitless-liminals

She cleared her throat. *Lock in*

*As soon as your foot hit the tile, the solid ground gave no support as that portion of you just continued slipping down

and down

and down

Down

Down and—

Someone’s leg shouldn’t be able to go this far without the other one following. Actually, the floor shouldn’t seem like nothing more than an illusion in the first place but here we are.*

*The sense of falling was immense and took over every alarm bell but other than the one limb sending those signals, everything else was normal. Your eyes told you that you were planted on the ground. Your other leg was planted on the ground. You weren’t actually falling yet.*

*Itd make the most sense to say the falling leg was extending in order to keep you upright, like some cartoon logic, but none of your nerves sent those signals. The limb was distinctly yours, untouched and unaltered.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*That didn't stop him from getting dizzy by it. He went to take a step away, but stumbled, falling straight on his ass. He clutched Phoebe a little tighter, who lets out a surprised coo.*

"What the fuck?!"

*He felt so sick. Ever since this all started, he felt unbelievably sick. He screwed his eyes shut and tilted his head to the side. Phoebe let out an alarmed coo in response. She rumbles and flaps her wings, trying to get his attention.*

"Phee- Pheeb, just- It's okay- Fuck-"

*He takes a shaky breath, trying to push the nausea that was quickly creeping up on him away.*

limitless-liminals

*…Okay, maybe hop in this time…That way you aren’t just sorta…standing there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His breathing starts to pick up again.*

"How do I-"

*Breathe, Charlie. He'll be okay. He's been through worse. It'll be okay.*

"How do I know that this won't kill me?"

*He needed to stop crying. He needed to breathe. He needed to relax. Panic never got him anywhere. Except keep him alive a few times. He just needed to school it in.*

limitless-liminals

*Trust me, bro? I don’t know. This itself won’t kill you but other stuff can. Let’s just….get back to the tile, okay?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*It takes a moment, but he nods.*

"...Okay..."

*He wanted a name for this thing. But that would have to wait. He shimmied closer to the tile. There was no way he was jumping with how strange his foot was feeling, so trying to position himself over it entirely would have to do.*

limitless-liminals

*Fortunately, that was enough to cause your whole body to phase through the tile. What arrived on the other side of the veil was a foggy, night sky with way too many stars and a plummeting descent to the concrete street below. Your body was roughly 20 yards off the ground.*

*Swallowing up every inch of the landscape were skyscrapers much like the ones you saw in New York, just a tad more futuristic than his era. Between each boxy building were alleyways, if you could call them that. They spanned a mere foot but typically sized dumpsters still remained, part of them stuck in the wall like a poorly placed video game object.*

*The streets, perfectly straight and lacking any potholes or signs of use overall, were vacant of any life. No children laughed at the park down the road, no one was performing street art, nor were there anyone walking in a crowded herd of bumping shoulders. Nothing that would make this city truly feel like a city. The only sign of home you got was the wafting scent of cigarettes.*

*The stoplights and crosswalks worked all the same though, going from red, to yellow, to green. A button near the crosswalk said “wait” in its robotic voice as though it had been pressed, followed but the walking symbol and the command to “walk”.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He curls around Phoebe as he falls, holding her as close as possible. He had to fight to not scream. He needed to be quiet. He didn't know where he was. He wanted to go home.

He doesn't move when he meets the ground, only curling up further and sobbing quietly. He didn't know what was happening. He was scared. He was oh, so scared.*

limitless-liminals

*Do you need a moment…? Medical assistance may- err- nevermind, I can’t give that.*

She looked over her shoulder for me

*Take a deep breath. You’ll be okay. Dont pigeons like the city or whatever?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't move. He doesn't lift his head up. He doesn't stand up. He stays curled up around Phoebe. She was letting out little annoyed coos, but wasn't trying to escape his grasp.*

"What do you- What do you want from me?"

*His voice was barely audible. There was a rasp to it, probably from the screaming and crying. It didn't feel raw, though.*

limitless-liminals

*……Let’s just keep on move, alright, hun? Give me something to narrate.*

aguidetothemultiverse

"No!"

*He whips his head up, glaring at the sky.*

"Tell me what you want from me!! I'll tell you if I could do it!!"

*He clenched his teeth. He could feel the golden tooth push into his gum. He would not go through that again.*

"And if I can't, what will you do?"

*His pained expression slowly morphed into something else. A strange smile spread across his face, the tears still flowing. And he laughed.*

"Torture me? Kill me?! Just tell me already! Rip the bandage off!!"

limitless-liminals

*I want you to keep moving. You can do that, can’t you? Limp around if you have to but keep moving.*

She looked over her shoulder again.

*…please.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He laughs a little harder.*

"I already said no! Tell me the truth! Tell me why you brought me here!"

*Phoebe squirms in his grasp.*

"Tell me what you want from me!!"

limitless-liminals

*How about no! And you should- OH, OH, NEVERMIND, YOU ACTUALLY REALLY NEED TO GET GOING. FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't comply. He tucks his legs to his chest, guarding Phoebe from the outside world, and stares at the sky. Waiting for an answer to his question.

And he wouldn't budge until he got it. He needed an explanation. He wasn't going to run if he didn't know what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing came.

*Damn, normally that works. Did evolution skip over the whole fight or flight thing with you? …Were you alive when they came up with evolution? Does the word make sense to you?….anyways!*

footsteps echoed through the confines of the city but not from anywhere on the ground. It came from the sky. Nothing in the air explained the noise but it circled all around her.

*…okayyoumightreallyneedtogetamoveon. IlltellyouwhatIwantlater.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He still doesn't budge. He. Wanted. His. Answer. He didn't believe those footsteps were real. He didn't. And if he got hurt, then he could take it. He's had worse. He'd been torn apart, head to toe, and got back up fine.

His heart was racing, though. His mind was whispering worries. He wouldn't let it win, though. He wouldn't run until he knew what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

*The footsteps only got louder and louder, vibrating the concrete with each bellowing step. Despite the being never putting a foot down on the ground, the noise of cracking concrete split through the eerie silence and chunks of it clattered around you in various sizes, from pebbles to bricks*

*Please, just…Move bit to the alley?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps violently at the debris, scrambling into the alley without a second thought. He pressed himself into the wall, tucking Phoebe away in his shirt. She protests a little, but only to stick her head out to see what was happening.

He shook and trembled, then glared at the sky. Could this thing hear his thoughts?

Hey, Jackass!

Come on, this has to work.

Tell me what you want from me!! I did what you asked, now tell me why you brought me here!*

limitless-liminals

*I can hear you, no need to yell or name call.* she giggled but it sounded stiff like an actor who’d never been properly told how to emote.

*….*

*Let’s check out the inside of the dumpster as I explain, yeah?*

The footsteps never stop. I thunder overhead like a vicious storm but I never once appear within your gaze. It’s hopeless to try.

*It wasn’t entirely up to me. I don’t know what they want but I’m just here to do what I gotta do. I liked your pigeon, so I maybe swayed the choice a bit.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What does Phoebe have to do with any of this? Couldn't you just have found another pigeon or something?

He cautiously shuffles over to the dumpster, eyeing it suspiciously.

What's in there? What do you want me to do with this??

He wasn't exactly in the mood for dumpster diving while his foot felt like this. Whatever this meant. All he really knew was that it wasn't pleasant and walking was a bit hard, so he clearly got injured. He didn't want it getting infected.*

limitless-liminals

*Have you seen her? She’s just so cute!*

*The open dumpster in front of you was eerily clean and shone with a brightness that didn’t match the dimness of the alleyway. The same hazy filter covered your vision from when you were falling, except this time it wasn’t as bad. The longer you lingered the worse the haze got as the scent of vinegar flooded your nostrils.*

*The green color of the water bottle blended in with the background of the dumpster as it sat perfectly upright. The only thing that stood out against the rest of the metal was the matte, black, plastic lid.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*...That... Still didn't seem very appealing. He didn't exactly feel like hurling his guts the second he saw his body stretch for the second time within a few minutes.

Where will that take me?

He wasn't exactly pleased about running for his life again. And fighting with this... being to get some basic answers while doing so? With some strange, Dreamlands-like logic?

...Why didn't he think of this before.

Kayne. Send me back to the Waylay. Arthur and John are going to panic. At least let me say goodbye.

Please. He didn't want to lose them yet. He wanted to go back to the Waylay.

The realization shocks him a little. Why go back there? With the many unknown dangers? Why not want to go home home?

...Because he didn't have a home anymore. Of course. He cringed at himself.

Wait, can you hear everything I'm thinking? Even the things I'm not thinking... Louder? I guess?

Say no. Please say no.*

limitless-liminals

*…You want me to say no, but I think we both know the answer is yes.* she awkwardly cleared her throat.

*Theres not really an “Off the air” button for you folks like there is for my partner and I. If you can think it, I can work my way into your mind…people usually don’t think about that and I get some…creative folks.*

*Anyways! Who is Kayne? And I don’t think that guy can bring you anywhere? That dumpster you may have to find out about though.*

*CRASH!*

*A block of concrete landed a foot away from your head, cracking the floor.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps away from the debris, stifling a yelp. Phoebe lets out a soft coo in response. He plants his hand over his beak.

Well, lucky for you, I've had practice.

That was all he needed. His mind went quiet. Eerily quiet. He's clearly done this before. They couldn't even read his expression.

He shuffled over to the dumpster. He put his hands on his hips. He stared at it blankly. His thoughts come back.

Do you not know where this goes?

His thoughts go silent again.*

limitless-liminals

*HEY, WHAT, THATS NOT FAIR! COME BACK!*

*The steps paused over head and alongside your thoughts going silent, so did the city. You could hear a pin drop and each breath carried farther on the wind than you might’ve been comfortable with.*

*And I know where that dumpster goes, thank you very much. The waterbottle is still in there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He smiles, raising an eyebrow.

Care to fill me in, doll?

Silence.

If not, I do quite enjoy the quiet...

He steps away from the dumpster, leaning on the opposite wall and staring up at the sky. Smiling. Cocky.*

limitless-liminals

*I actually…uhm…hold on…*

Shuffling papers filled the silence.

*…one second.*

More shuffling, frantic.

*So…this is awkward but I lost the paper…and I don’t know this area that well so…we can find out together?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His smile falls. He raises an eyebrow.

Silence.*

limitless-liminals

*…You just gonna stand there? I lost the paper. There’s not much I can do…*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't budge. Guess the answer was yes.*

limitless-liminals

*Damn, okay. I could really use my partner right now. They’d know where to find it…*

More scavenging and then a satisfied hum.

*Oh! Okay, found it. Let me read anddddddd….huh, that’s a surprise. So, it’s actually just a normal dumpster. Well, as normal as you can get around here.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of moving, he checks his wrist like he's checking a watch. He doesn't have a watch.*

limitless-liminals

*Did you hear me? It’s a normal dumpster! What more are you wantttinnnggggg.* she whined like a toddler having a tantrum.

*rude.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He taps his foot a few times, then pulls Phoebe out of his shirt, holding her under his arm like a pile of books.

Okay, well. If you're gonna be like that, what was the thing stomping around before?*

limitless-liminals

*Be like WHAT? I’m not being like anything. I’m just trying to have a dandy ol’ day and you’re— you know what, never mind. Fine, okay, the thing was—*

—No.

*…Something I can’t say.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Aaand silence.*

limitless-liminals

*Well, fuck you too. Have fun navigating this place alone.*

My stomping begun once again and with it, a storm of concrete hit the floor as buildings began to crumble and collapse.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stays quiet for a little longer. That is, until

Do you control that?

They're let back in. Fear is radiating off of him. He was able to mask all of that. The terror, the fear, the dread. He knew how to hide that.

The King trained him well.

He walks over to the dumpster. His fear spikes before easing a bit. Just water. A normal dumpster for this place. It would be fine.*

limitless-liminals

They won’t reply to you. No, you fucked up. You pushed too hard and now you’re at this world’s mercy.

They were your guide. Your light in the tunnel. A potential road to escape if you played your cards right but you dealt the wrong hand.

The voice came like a whisper on the wind, guiding each syllable against his eardrum. A piece of concrete smashed the floor right next to his foot as a nearby building was dangerously leaning.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Oh, fuck him. He immediately hops in the dumpster, infection be damned. He slams the lid over his head, screws his eyes shut, and clings to Phoebe like his life depends on it. Because honestly? It kind of does. He's alone again. He only has this damn bird. And she didn't know what the hell was happening either. She was a bird.*

limitless-liminals

The chaos around him ensued like a horrible thunderstorm. At one point, the concrete slamming against the floor was loud enough to shake the confines of the dumpster. Simultaneously, a giant chunk slammed against the plastic cover, nearly crushing it, while another dented the side with a bang.

Amongst the chaos was a rushing footsteps that slammed against the floor in a flurry. They turned in direction several times, as if searching. Either that, or it was general panic. It was close to his dumpster.

A friend?

“What the fuck!”

The yell was like a whisper amongst the noise.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks one arm over his head and curls around his core, keeping Phoebe there. He wanted to ignore how much he was shaking.

And a voice. A human voice. He could almost cry with relief. Maybe he was. He couldn't tell. He was so tired of this.

What if it was a trick. Could he take that risk? Could he take the risk of a trick for the chance of seeing another person here? To see another person terrified and in need of help, just like him.

No. No, he couldn't. He was told to go in here. So he would. And he would stay here, even if they didn't come back. It was hidden, it was safer than being out in the open like that.*

limitless-liminals

There was a crash and then the footsteps sprinted right beside the dumpster. It was difficult to hear over everything else but their breathing was ragged and frantic, more akin to wheezing than anything else.

“Holy shitholyshitholyshit,” the voice muttered, yelping as concrete hit the top of the dumpster right again.

But it didn’t break.

Logical reasoning would deduce that he probably had a second before the dumpster was opened.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Well... It'd be fine. He has a gun. If this is a trick, if this person did mean harm, he has his gun! He could just... Shoot. That's what people do with guns.

He took a deep breath to calm his shaking hands. He clicked the safety off his pistol. And he aimed.

And waited.

His shaking didn't stop. He cursed himself internally for the stupid adrenaline that's almost always running through his veins nowadays.*

limitless-liminals

The was a tiny pause of hesitation where the plastic was peaked open become being pulled open fully. What awaited on the other side was a scrappy looking man adorning a light taupe hood and dark green sweater that have both been patched and stitched together ten times at least. In his right hand, he held a knife but he wasn’t pointing it at Noel or anything in particular.

The man slammed the dumpster shut upon staring down the barrel of a gun, leaping at least four feet back. In that split second, Noel could see the wide eyes and sweating skin.

Silence. How the fuck is he meant to reply to that? Does he run?

aguidetothemultiverse

*Noel wouldn't be surprised if he looked like a scared kid, hiding away in a dumpster like this.

...

Okay. Uh... Okay. He... he looked pretty real, but... There was no way to tell.

...There was really no harm in asking, was there? Deep breath, Charlie.

He lifted the lid and peeked out at the man, staring at him with a furrowed brow. He clicks the safety back on, but keeps his pistol in hand.*

"...Are you real?"

*He sticks his head fully out of the dumpster, glancing around the alley. Why did they want him to jump in here?? What the fuck?*

"Can..."

*Oh, he was going to sound insane...*

"Can you hear the... uh... The voice?"

*Was there anything more insane than a man in his 40s hiding in a dumpster aiming a pistol at some random guy with a pigeon on his chest?*

limitless-liminals

They stared, utterly baffled. Speaking of the voices, I finally returned from my not so kind break. I’m sorry if it takes me a second to get caught back up to speed.

Anyhow, the man’s eyes are flickering and head spinning around every so often, scanning for information. He flinches with every noise and presses his back against the wall. He looked just as panicked as you did and with his malnourished frame, there was a tad bit of resemblance between you and him during your…not so fortunate days.

“I think? Yes, I think I’m real,” he said, out of breath. He patted himself just to be sure.

“Can we— let’s put the gun away,”

who was he to make demands right now? That didn’t matter so long as the faux power remained in his shaking tone. To help them both, he put the knife into his harness.

“And uh…yeah. I hear— I hear it.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He swallows thickly when the voice returns.

...Since you're back in my mind, can you tell me if he's real? I think that's a fair trade.

Please. This has to work. She can hear everything he thinks again! Even the non-deliberate things!! Even this! He didn't even realize he was thinking it!! Come on!!

He takes a breath. Focus. There's a guy here, real or not. He looked insane. He slowly crawled out of the dumpster, making sure to keep his pistol in hand, but aimed down. When his foot lands on the ground, he has to fight the urge to wince. It didn't hurt too much, but it was so unbelievably jarring, he felt like his mind was tearing itself apart at the sensation alone.*

"How long have you been here?"

*He shoots another nervous glance around the alley. He would prefer to not get caught by something while his foot was still... like this.*

limitless-liminals

Do you not believe him? I’d describe him as quite real but it’s up to interpretation I suppose. There’s only so much that a narrator can do.

Anywho…where was I…right…

The man’s eyes widened as he tried to back up more, only for his back to hit the wall. His eyes continued examining, always looking for details, but he continued to stare back to the gun…and now your foot. He was certainly the perceptive one, if I had to say so myself.

“I don’t know…I don’t really— time isn’t something I have a good grasp on. Right before everything started falling around us, I guess?”

With each crash, he flinched and anticipated impact only for it never to come.

“Where even IS here?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Of course I don't believe him! Why would I? I don't know how your powers work yet! I don't know what you're capable of!!

He was starting to get a bit uncomfortable under the other man's gaze. He couldn't exactly help the foot thing, so there was no point in staring. The gun was a bit more understandable, but come on, he has no reason to trust this guy yet!*

"I ain't too sure myself."

*Phoebe flutters out from the dumpster, landing on his head. It throws off his balance for a swift moment, but he regains it rather quickly.*

"The first time things started falling or the second time."

*There were probably times before that, too, but he was going based off of his perception, so...

What was it that caused the falling anyway? Was it you? Were you mad at me? Was that it?

That was probably it. Punishment. Despite the deliberate tone that came with the louder thoughts, there were twinges of guilt and terror laced in it. That all this was his fault. That somehow, someway, everything that's happened to him up until this point was all due to some actions he's taken at some point.*

limitless-liminals

Right…I can’t even blame you for your paranoia since it’ll get you far here. I’ll tell you that I’m primarily behind the scenes. Most of what happens around here is entirely unrelated to my own actions. Believe whatever you want but that’s the truth.

The man’s eyes widened upon seeing the creature land on your head. He seemed torn between reaching out and running away. His mouth fell agape, only for him to to remember to close it a second later.

He shook his head, shaking away his silly ideas, “I’m assuming the second since I don’t know the first. We need to take cover before we keep talking though because—“

CRASH!

Perfect timing. It nearly took out his foot though. Twinning would’ve been horrible in this instance.

“…that. That’s why we should take cover.”

His eyes repeatedly went back to the foreign critter. Words hung on his tongue, unspoken. His eyes narrowed in thought.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stumbles back towards the dumpster at the crash of debris. Phoebe flaps her wings wildly at the movement. She spots the other man and deems him as a much more stable host than Noel and flies over to him, landing on his head.

Noel stares at her just as he's about to swing his leg back into the dumpster.*

"Phoebe, get back here."

*At least she thought he was real. Didn't exactly make him feel any better. He kept his voice stern, like he was commanding a misbehaving child.

Will he hurt her? If he tries to hurt her, can you stop him?*

lepi-rp-sideblog

Believe me, I think you’re fine.

The man nearly dove for the dumpster as well until the pigeon landed on his head, to which he froze like a statue. His breath caught in his throat as if an exhale would disturb the bird. Unlike before, he didn’t flinch at any of the clattering. No, he couldn’t. Not until the bird moved

aguidetothemultiverse

*She doesn't budge.*

"Phoebe!"

*He holsters his pistol, walking over to the other man and snatching the bird from his head.*

"Jesus, I'm sorry about her... Got a mind of her own, this one."

*He chuckles nervously, tucking her under his arm like a book before hopping in the dumpster, taking Phoebe with him.

Oh. He left quite a bit of blood in there.

Are there any bandages around here? I kinda need some, if you couldn't tell.

He really hoped he wasn't losing too much blood to affect his ability to really do much of anything within a matter of hours.*

limitless-liminals

He matches his nervous laugh with one of his own but he doesn’t relax. No, he stayed frigid as he stares with the bird with a level of admiration, terror, and confusion not fit for a pigeon. He glances back to Noel with a furrowed brow and an unspoken question.

“No, no…it’s good. You’re good.”

He physically has to shake his head to reset his mind before climbing into the dumpster. The chaos was picking up around them after all and he didn’t seem to mind the blood too much as he balled himself up.

And to answer your question, there are bandages around here but I’m not allowed to provide you with any.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks Phoebe to his chest, grabbing the lid and slamming it shut when he's confident the other man is fully in the dumpster. And if he was a threat, then... well, Noel had a gun. He also wasn't afraid to use his teeth.

He offers a strange look back at the man's own strange look at the pigeon.

What's his problem with Phoebe? Does he want to eat her? Should I be worried? Did you lie to me before?

The thoughts come in a panicked flurry. He may be able to control what gets through, but he can't control the emotion that comes with them. He's always hated that. The King would take advantage of it when he didn't have the ability to speak, when his face was too swollen for his lips to work, when his tongue was torn out and shoved down his throat.

He takes a breath. Stop thinking about the King. He couldn't let himself get distracted here.*

"Got a name? Or somethin' to call you by?"

*He keeps his voice just barely below a whisper.

You got a name, too?

Might as well know what to call his captor while he's getting names.*

limitless-liminals

The man looked between the bird and you with a furrowed brow, still trying to put some pieces together. Despite that, he was still missing plenty of other pieces that would complete this puzzle.

He had to shake his head again, remembering that he had to respond, “My name is Simon. What’s yours?”

And as for myself, there’s no need for a name. You can call me Narrator one if you wish, or just Narrator. The other voice you hear is called Kiki.

Your other questions are up to you to find out. I will tell you that I don’t tend to be a liar though. I suppose that may be hard to believe for someone like you though.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a scowl at that last comment. "Someone like him"? What was that supposed to mean?! Sure, he had some trouble believing things to be real, but there's reasoning behind it!!

Whatever. Whatever! It didn't matter. He takes a steady breath. He automatically goes to answer as "Charlie," but stops. Dammit, Arthur and John were really getting in his head. He needed to tell them to stop calling him that. It wasn't good for him, no matter how good it felt.*

"Noel."

*He goes to hold his hand out to shake, but pulls his hand back relatively fast. He didn't know if this place had the same greeting customs as back home.

After a moment of confused staring, he cautiously holds Phoebe towards him. She's unbothered by the movement.*

"You ever see a pigeon before?"

*There was a hint of amusement in his voice, but his grip on her was firm. If Simon decided Phoebe was a delicious snack that was only a couple feet away, then he'd get a shoe to the face and Phoebe would be back at his chest. She seemed to trust him, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon nearly goes to shake his hand before raising an eyebrow in confusion at him pulling it back. That was a bit rude but okay…his hands weren’t that gross.

“Nice to meet you,” he nodded, flinching as there was another loud bang.

He was too focused on that, that when presented with the feathered creature, he nearly had a heart attack. Simon froze and shuffled backwards until he was pressed against the side of the dumpster.

“Pi-geon…? Is…is that a pigeon? How do you know what to call it?”

So, clearly the answer was no.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls Phoebe back at Simon's terror of her with a confused smile.*

"Uh... Yeah. She's a pigeon. I know 'cause I live in New York City and they're everywhere...?"

*He chuckles.*

"Have you seriously never seen a pigeon before?"

*He holds her out again. What if this guy was from a timeline where pigeons didn't exist? Or were just a myth? Or... Dead? Why wouldn't pigeons exist??? That didn't make sense to him.*

"She ain't gonna hurt you, at least not on purpose. I should probably shave down her claws at some point, but it won't draw blood."

*The bird in question tilts her head to stare at Simon with a singular eye. She lets out a little rumbly coo.*

"...Actually, I don't think she's ever bit me. She's real docile for a bird that just showed up at my doorstep one day."

limitless-liminals

Simon was frigid, the only motion being one where he pushed his back further into the cool metal. If he hadn’t had thick fabric on, it would’ve been a nice contrast to his clammy skin. If he had a shirt underneath, he would’ve taken it off due to how much the combination of the heat in the garbage and his own nerves was causing him to sweat.

“New York City? That place is long gone.”

What the fuck was happening to him? The only remnants of New York City was what got documented and what information has been carried through oral tradition.

“And no, I’ve never seen a pigeon. It’s not normal to be greeted by a holy being due it just…arriving on your doorstep. You shouldn’t be treating her like a pet.”

Dear God, he was sorry for doubting you because what was THAT?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's dumbfounded. Absolutely dumbfounded.*

"You're jokin', right?"

*He had to be, because he was in the city just a few... Well, he didn't know how long he'd been gone, but he was there!! Recently!! And "holy being"? What??????*

"She's... She's like a rat with wings, doll. If she could eat somethin' she's gonna eat it. That's all pigeons. They're far from holy."

*He looks around for a moment.*

"Frankly, if this thing weren't empty, I'm sure she'd be stuffing her little beak with everything she can."

*Hey Narrator? Could you tell him that pigeons are... Normal? I guess? He's too freaked out and I'm not sure if I could calm him down with just words and shoving Phoebe in his face.*

limitless-liminals

I can not. My role is not to persuade but just to provide information. Telling him that would be cheating.

“No, I’m not joking. I’m saying this out of concern but I don’t think you know what you’re dealing with,” he’s seen enough angel imagery to envision it with his eyes closed.

“Just because it carries silly habits,” Simon glanced at Phoebe, “and forgive me for calling it silly, doesn’t mean she isn’t a higher power.”

Besides, he hardly understood that comparison anyways due to ignorance about rats.

aguidetothemultiverse

*What. Are you serious? Oh, you've got to be kidding him.

That is information. You're not persuading him of anything, you're just telling him that pigeons are normal...? At least this one. I think.

He really hopes that she's a normal pigeon. She hasn't really shown any signs of not being a normal pigeon. If she wasn't a normal pigeon, well... She seemed to like being treated like a normal pigeon.*

"I'm not gonna be able to convince you otherwise, will I?"

*He sets Phoebe in his lap and gently scratches around her eyes. She leans into the touch.*

"Well, whatever you believe, she seems to enjoy being treated like a regular old pigeon. Eats seeds, flies around, coos at me when she wants food, shits in my hat, coos at me some more just for the sake of it. You know, regular old pigeon stuff."

*He keeps scratching her for a moment more. Then stops. He holds her up again.*

"She likes being scratched between her eyes and little ear holes, you know. She'll tilt her head so you could scratch better, even."

limitless-liminals

Pigeons being normal is an opinion. I’m not meant to provide opinions like that. My job is not to argue, just to blend into the background in most cases. Saying that would just begin a conflict I’m not meant to participate in. I’m simply following the rules.

“I don’t know…” He narrowed his eyes, examining the bird closer. “I don’t really have ‘pigeons’ back on Eden…but if she wants to be treated like a normal pigeon, whatever that means, then I won’t deny her.”

He had doubted religion for a long time. It began early but maybe Simon had to reevaluate. It wasn’t as if being taken here has another explanation.

He stared at the pigeon, reaching his hand out, pulling it back, before finally scratching in the spot Noel described.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Eden? Like the garden? From the bible? Was this guy hyper-religious to the point of never seeing a pigeon? Christ...

Well, he could ask questions later. Phoebe was overjoyed at the prospect of a new person. She wrestled her way out of Noel's hands, hopping into Simon's lap and cooing happily. She waltzed around in a small circle before shoving her face back into Simon's hand, awaiting scritches.*

"Looks like she likes you!"

*He chuckles softly at her excitement. She was a goofy little thing. Hold on.

What's Eden? Just the information on it, not opinions.*

simon-thebutcher

Simon sucked in a sharp breath of air as Phoebe hopped onto his laps. His hands floated in the air around him, unsure of what to do before cautiously scratching the same spot as before.

He mumbled something inaudible to Noel but with a tone between confusion and dread. His eyes matched those emotions with eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m glad…” deep breath. “She’s…soft.”

And why don’t you ask him instead? Get to know each other.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a frown again.

Thanks a lot.*

"So, uh... Mind tellin' me what Eden is? Got somethin' to do with the bible?"

*He probably shouldn't throw a barrage of questions at him. But who could blame him for being just a teensy bit curious about the guy who lived somewhere without pigeons who thought they were angels. Pigeons as angels. Sky rats. Equated to angels. There's very clearly something going on here, and it was not normal.*

"You don't gotta, it'll just give me a better grasp of your... Perception of Phoebe."

*How could someone expect another person to treat a pigeon like an angel? That was insane!

Phoebe was having a great time with Simon, though. She nestled into him for a second, then walked around in an excited circle, then bobbed her head up and down, then did it all over again. He really hoped she wouldn't bite him to grab his attention at some point, it might just scare the poor guy away.*

limitless-liminals

He gradually settled down but he instead concentrated his worry on chewing the dead skin off of his lip. Simon watched the bird with the degree of interest a child would upon seeing their favorite cartoon. He couldnt help but snicker a bit at the movements, petting her head again. At the very least, he was quickly getting a tad more used to her.

He had an expression Noel could recognize from a mile away as he described it: longing.

“Ah, Eden is my home. It’s named after the place in the Bible, yes. It used to be a Mars space station, the first human colony beyond earth, before The Quiet Rapture happened and now there’s no Mars. I sometimes wish we had more, sure, but it was home.”

He didn’t understand how Noel didn’t know that already but something was clearly amiss here.

“…how’s New York City?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's utterly dumbfounded. Mars. The fucking planet. This guy made it off Earth. And he lived there. And "The Quiet Rapture"? What the fuck was that??*

"Mars..."

*He couldn't help but blurt it out. His mind was racing. He was speaking with a human from space. He's never done that before! He scrambles for his notebook and quickly jots down "Universe 35 - Eden's home", underlining it few times. Underneath he writes. "Met a guy who used to live on Mars! Now he just lives... out there? I guess?" He underlines "Mars" a few times for emphasis. Because... wow.*

"Uh... Right, New York. It's-"

*This guy's probably never been to Earth. That's why he doesn't know what a pigeon is.*

"Big. To put it simply."

*How does he explain New York City to someone who's never been to Earth??*

"Uh. It's loud. Real loud. Lotta people call it the "City that Never Sleeps", and they're not really lyin' about it. People are always doing something at any hour of the day. All year round."

*Christ, what else can he say? Well. Pigeons. He gestures to Phoebe.*

"Pigeons are everywhere. She's a great example of one. One of the bigger ones that I've seen around, but I've absolutely seen bigger. There's also always some sorta light on. It... can kinda be like a maze if you haven't been there before, but you get the hang of it over time."

*He felt like he was advertising it. There was really no good way to explain the City, especially to someone who'd never been to an Earth city before. But even if they have been to Earth, it was still hard to explain.*

"The buildings are real tall. Call 'em skyscrapers 'cus they touch the sky. And all of them are basically touching, wall to wall. You mix that with the amount of people and you've barely got any room to breathe."

*He chuckles. He kinda missed it, the ability to just... Blend in with the crowd, not get as many strange looks for the large scar that ran across his face, feel like a ghost in a graveyard. Where he was meant to be.

Sure, a break from the crowds was nice, but he preferred not feeling so exposed like this. In one way or another.*

"But, back to you. What's the 'Quiet Rapture'? Is it some War that I should be prepared for in the future?"

*He laughs. It's strained.

Please say no. He couldn't go through another one of those. He couldn't lose his friends again.*

limitless-liminals

Simon glanced back up at him and just sorta…stared. He was trying to put two and two together on why it was so shocking and…why in the world is he writing this down? I mean, they documented stuff on Eden but they didn’t feel the need to document stuff that should be basic knowledge.

His confusion only worsened upon your description as he nodded slowly, trying to picture it in his head. Simon was likely way off but it was better than nothing. It wasn’t as though he had much reference for living spaces that size nor that many people clumped together.

“That’s…woah…weird, but impressive.”

Without realizing, he had stopped petting Phoebe, to which he mumbled an apology for before continuing.

“During the Quiet Rapture, we don’t really know why but all stars and habitable planets just disappeared. There’s space ships and some moons left, sure, but nothing that’s as abundant as Earth’s materials,” he sighed. “I was born after it happened so I can’t give you much besides what I’ve been told.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Maybe I should try drawing it for him... What do you think of that? Or is that too opinionated for you?

He stifles a mischievous little chuckle at that.

As he's taking in the new information about Simon's universe, writing along as fast as he can, Phoebe decides to explore this new person. If he was going to stop petting her, it was her turn to figure this guy out! She clambers up his shirt until she makes it to his shoulder. She tilts her head a few times at his hair (it looked much softer than Noel's, he had to admit).

Then, she plucked a hair from his head, feeling it in her beak. Noel lets out a yelp when he spots her doing this.*

"Hey! Phoebe! You don't need his hair for nesting!! I'll getcha some other stuff!"

*He taps her on the beak lightly, but made sure to have enough force to reprimand her. Nothing that would hurt, if anything, she'd just be annoyed by it.*

"We just met the guy! Be nice!"

*She bites his finger. He frowns at her.*

limitless-liminals

Draw it if you’d like. I’m not stopping you. I think that’s a good way to present information.

Simon was like a statue whenever she explored. He stared with much more fear and uncertainty than what was appropriate for a pigeon. The only reaction she earned was a sharp inhale from her plucking.

Once Noel reacted so freely though, he raised his voice slightly, “Hey, be respectful!”

A crash echoed outside the dumpster right after he spoke.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He slowly holds his hands up in a show of mercy, staring in the direction of the noise. He didn't hurt her...? She was fine. She actually went back to plucking some strands of Simon's hair out, tossing them in Noel's direction.

Also. Did he do that? Or did something hear them? *

"She's not bein' very respectful."

*He grabs her from Simon's shoulder, setting her in his own lap.*

"You're just doin' that to do it, ya little rascal."

*She wrestles out of his grip before settling between the two men. She ignores the couple of strands of hair she pulled from Simon's head, only further proving Noel's point. She then starts to preen herself.*

"She doesn't care, anyway. I do that to her all the time. Hell, I throw her and she enjoys it. A little tap to the nose is probably more playful than reprimanding."

*He grimaces. He should probably find a better form of training her, then...*

limitless-liminals

“She can do whatever she would like,” he scoffed.

Simon allowed her to pluck as much hair as she liked and stared with fascination at the simple act of preening. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. He didn’t have any reference for why she would do that in the first place nor why she needed hair.

But who was he to protest?

Simon plucked out a chunk more of his hair and set it down in front of Phoebe.

“I don’t think she needs reprimanded.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of accepting the clump of hair, she whacks him with her wing as Noel puts his hands up in a panic.*

"Woah, woah, woah! Let's- Let's not tear your whole scalp off for her, alright?"

*He takes Simon's hands and places them in his lap.*

"If she's gonna take your hair, it's gonna be of her own doing. She doesn't really like it when people get hurt. Unless she's the one causing it, I guess."

*He drops his voice to a murmur for that last bit. Simon didn't need to know how much of a hypocrite this bird was. That was for Noel and Phoebe on their own.*

"I let her do most things mosta the time anyway. She could at least be polite to strangers."

*He ruffles the feathers on the top of her head, putting on a voice like one would use to talk to a puppy while speaking to her.*

"Hear that? Be polite, ya little rat!"

*She coos in response, biting his finger playfully. He chuckles softly with a tiny "ow, what the hell, Pheeb?" and a smile on his face.*

limitless-liminals

Simon flinches in surprise, not expecting that reaction. He blinked and stared between the two, assessing the level of danger. Noel seemed to be okay but the ‘pigeon’ was an element that couldn’t be considered as simply. No, he had to tread on thin ice.

“It’s not that much hair, it’s alright…but if she doesn’t want me to, I won’t. I was just trying to help.”

His confusion only increases with the exchange that those two shared, “And she’s just okay with this?”

Anyhow, how long are you two just going to sit here talking?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls his hands away from Phoebe's face, who immediately goes to waddle back into his lap. He gestures to her.*

"Seems it to me."

*He chuckles a little at her. His stupid pigeon. To think that he tried to get rid of her at first.

And then he sighs, closing his eyes. He briefly thinks to appreciate Arthur for his ability to hold a straight face most of the time.*

"Is the narrator also trying to get you out of the dumpster? Even though she, uh, you know, told me to come in here?"

*There's a twinge of anger in his voice, but he smiles with it. It's a very strained smile.*

"Oh, also, didn't you just hear some rubble outside? Or was that just me?"

*Passive aggression, what a tool. His favorite, even. Maybe he was a bit light on the "passive" part of it, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon smiled at the bird’s behavior, finally settling into the existence of her at the very least. She seemed to be happy from his first impression, so who was he to judge? That wasn’t his role in existence.

“Uh, they never told me to jump into here but they’re also not telling me to get out? They’ve been quite quiet for me. Are they not quiet for you…? I don’t even have a label like you do.”

Another crash hit outside, louder, angry.

“But yeah, I’ve been hearing everything crashing.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He can feel his eye twitch.*

"No, no, they've been talkin' back and forth with me for a bit. Asked us how long we were going to sit here and chat for."

*He glares at the roof of the dumpster.*

"Come on, now that I'm acknowledging you, you don't wanna say anything?"

*He sighs, turning his attention back to Simon.*

"If you think really loud in sentences, it can be a back and forth conversation. Well, back and forth if I can get a response at all."

*He was very tired of this. The not-his pain was starting to make him a bit woozy. It was probably blood loss.*

"Could you tell me what's makin' the ruckus outside yet or is the answer to that still no?"

*He crosses his arms, letting his back fall against the side of the dumpster as he awaits a response from the Narrator.*

limitless-liminals

“Really? I haven’t gotten anything like that.”

He paused for a moment, trying to think really hard like Noel instructed. It wasn’t an elaborate message, just a simple hello, an attempt to reach out. I responded back with a hello despite my discomfort.

To be frank with you, I don’t respond to you when I’m addressed because I don’t exactly like being addressed. That’s not my role. I’d enjoy it if you quit.

If you’re gonna keep asking, you’re gonna get similar replies though. If you wish to find out that information, go explore for yourself.

“What’s she saying to you? I just got a hello.”

aguidetothemultiverse

"Okay. Okay, sure..."

*He says it breathless, tired, done. He presses the balls of his palms into his eyes, tilts his head back, and groans.*

"Saying she doesn't like being addressed and that we should 'explore for ourselves'..."

*He drops his hands, glances at his wounded foot, then looks to the lid of the dumpster.*

"I'd personally rather be safe and sent home."

*There's some bite to his words now.*

"But sure, whatever. I'll go exploring. Hey, maybe I'll die! Wouldn't that be a fun narration?"

*Full bite. He shifts Phoebe to his shoulder, who is none the wiser and nestles into him. Just as he's about to push the top open, he pauses. When he speaks, none of that vitriol is there anymore. Just that sweet talking, New York accented voice.*

"Pain is different here, by the way. It doesn't feel like its on your body, but it's still there. Real weird. Just wanted to warn ya."

*And he hops out. He has to stifle a grunt of pain when he lands, not just from his foot, but in general. He was getting too old to be doing this sorta thing.*

limitless-liminals

I’ve narrated quite a few deaths. Some are more entertaining than others but only one have I had any direct influence on. I control your senses. I’d watch what you say.

“Honestly, this place very well may be better than home,” Simon grumbled.

He hesitated a second before following after you, not enjoying the idea of death. It certainly wasn’t a sweat taste on his tongue.

“That’s…odd,” he stared at Noel’s foot. “I’ll take it that’s how you found that out?”

Another crash. A building a few feet away crumbling to bits.

“We should get that bandages somehow…”

aguidetothemultiverse

*You're so reassuring! I love being here! I would also like to remind you that I figured out how to block you out of my head, so do with that what you will, doll.

He's already limping towards the crumbling building with his pistol in hand and a scowl on his face when Simon begins to follow. His scowl drops pretty quickly, morphing into a tired look when he turns towards the other man.*

"Yeah, unfortunately. Wanted to check how real things were, and, well... Got some information."

*He chuckles, trying to lighten the mood a little. Or just bring up his own spirits. He was tired of dealing with the Narrator's bullshit.*

"And... uh, yup. That was the goal. Asked for them a few times, even asked to be led to some, I think. Look where we are."

*He gestures to the blood trail he was leaving. It was weird seeing it with the feeling.*

limitless-liminals

I also control where you end up, doll. This location is quite favorable compared to a few others. I could just as easily send you there as I did here. Whether or not I can access your thoughts means little to me.

The man didn’t laugh, no, it was just a concerned gaze, “So, you shot yourself in the foot? Hold on, let’s pause here real quick.”

Simon placed a hand in the man’s chest to get him to stop. Fortunately, there wasn’t any other major crashing or footsteps. The streets were decorated with evidence of the chaos, buildings blocking paths and rubble piling up high.

He took his knife out of his harness and cut the bottom section of his sweater off in one long strip, careful not to slice himself in the process. Then, he kneeled down and glanced up to Noel, asking for him to raise his foot so he could wrap it easier.

“It’s not great but it’s something for now.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*His breathing stuttered when Simon's fingers grazed his chest. Every muscle in his body went rigid. He felt himself stumble back a few steps, but couldn't stop his body from doing it. He felt separated. He couldn't even properly come up with a witty response for the Narrator.

He was back in the Dreamlands. Screaming. Wailing. Pleading. Begging. Anything. It burned. Get it off. Get it off! Please! He'll do anything!

Then provide information? He didn't have that, though! He didn't have anything! Surely he could see that! He had stripped him bare!

Where was the fragment? He had no clue! He swore! He could never know! He didn't even-

His skin was not his own anymore. He was not a person anymore.

The bird on his shoulder whacked him with a wing. Someone else's hands scooped her up. Fingers feeling feathers. Lungs expand.

The feeling of his surroundings were returning. It felt like walking into a warm building after being in the freezing cold for hours, no, days on end. Phoebe was in his hands. She was cooing at him. He was staring at her.

He lets out the breath he didn't know he was holding.*

"Fuck."

*His voice shakes. He lets his eyes flutter shut. He presses Phoebe to his forehead. His heart was racing. But Phoebe was warm. She was heavy. She was in his hands. His hands. Because he had hands. And he was himself.

He waited for his heart to slow. It would only cause his bloodloss to be worse. He needed to calm down. Because it was fine. Nothing happened. It was just a touch.*

limitless-liminals

Simon froze and backed up, staring at you with wide eyes. His pupils flickered over every bit of your form. From face to toes, he was trying to decipher what happened.

It didn’t take long to figure out, after all, he’s seen this kind of reaction before. Hell, he’s seen it in himself unfortunately. It didn’t mean he knew what to do other than just sit there though.

*He earned that,* Kiki grumbled.

It’s nice to see you again.

Anyhow, he was beyond grateful for the pigeon being able to aid in place of him. He stared back down at his foot though, make-shift bandage in hand.

“Sorry, I just needed to bandage your foot,” he grumbled, shoulders tense.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's sure his eyes look hazy and far off. He still didn't feel exactly like himself, but... Well, he needs to focus. He clears his throat, limping back over to Simon and sitting next to him. Made it easier on his foot.*

"No, no. I'm sorry. Shouldn't've made you see that."

*He takes the piece of cloth from the other man before slipping his shoe off. A jolt of pain shoots around his leg. It's disorientating. He almost let the thought that he'd much rather just the regular old pain he was used to slip into his mind, but stopped it before it could get very far. He was too... something to block off his mind from the Narrator and... Kiki. A name to the voice. At least he got that.

He peels his sock off with a hiss, the drying blood clinging to the wound. It reveals numerous other scars across just his foot alone. Other bullet wounds, a ring around his ankle, burns on the sole of his foot, and some other miscellaneous scars.

He doesn't react to them. They're his own scars, he knows them by heart. Instead, he sticks one hand into his mouth and digs into the wound. His hand would probably bruise in a few minutes, but it made it easier to wrestle the bullet out. He places it on the ground, to which Phoebe immediately goes to examine.

And, again, instead of just wrapping it, he begins to pack the wound. He shoves as much of the cloth into the opening as he could. He does it quickly and efficiently, a practiced motion. He's done this what felt like hundreds of times before.

When he's done, and his fingers are coated with blood, he leans his head back. He stares at the ceiling. He wished it was the sky.*

"Thank you, and... uh. Sorry. For that."

*He gestures to the spot he was in just a few minutes ago, hyperventilating and paranoid.*

limitless-liminals

Simon wasn’t expecting for the fabric to be taken and he nearly tries to snatch it back. When he notices Noel’s confidence, he decides to sit back and keep watch for anything of interest. Buildings were still crumbling around them but where they had settled, all the major structures had already collapsed.

He stares at his foot and the abundance of scars first, then the precision of his movements. It didn’t take a genius to put two and two together that this man had been through some shit. He wanted to ask but given the last reaction, that didn’t seem the wisest. Maybe, later.

When the bullet came out, he picked it up, using his sleeve to act as a glove. He offered it to Phoebe, careful to make sure she didn’t try to eat it. If she wasn’t interested, he’d just pocket it just in case.

“No, there’s nothing to worry about. You’re fine. People have emotions, god forbid,” he remarked sarcastically. “I’ll try not to nudge’ya like that in the future.”

“Do you need anymore fabric?”

He didn’t want to cut any more of his sweater but Noel was a man in need.

#do you wanna make another thread mayhaps?#stop staring at his foot Simon #don’t get accused of having a foot fetish/j

rainedrop-roleplay

*Woah, that rain sure is coming down hard! Get it because— wha’dya say? Oh! Sorry, sorry, okay, ahem. I’ll restart. Ignore this, sorry. My friend is on lunch break.*

*The rain is coming down hard tonight, thunder accenting the downpour. Tell me, Mr.Merlot, what are you up to tonight?*

@limitless-liminals

....The hell's it look like? 'M drunk in the damn rain.

*He's sitting just outside the main Waylay doors, with a bottle of wine, absolutely drenched. He takes a long sip from what's left in the bottle, before it hits him that he just... heard...? and spoke to somebody.*

...Wait what. The fuck?

*He stands up and looks around. With nobody in sight, he squints up into the rain.*

I am nowhere near fucked up enough to hallucinate shit.... ????

limitless-liminals

*I forgot my voice comes across differently than the other narrator. This mayyyyy be an issue. She needs to get back here soon…*

*Okay, Merlot, I need you to pretend that I’m just in your head in the way your thoughts are! Still talk to me though because it’s lonely otherwise but I’m meant to be here. Got it? Got it. Amazing, great, moving on.*

*Why are you drunk tonight?*

rainedrop-roleplay

How'd you get in there. Nobody's s'posed to get in there since-

..Ah whatever. Fuck it.

*He sits back down, still talking aloud.*

....Not a whole lot else to do. Ro has th'kids, don't need me hanging around constantly.

..Gah, that makes me sound fuckin' married or divorced some shit...

I got nothing, alright? 'Cept bein' in my own head. And that shit sucks. So, the fuck are you doin' in there tonight?

limitless-liminals

*Thats a little secret for later. C’mon, don’t try to spoil the surprise, killjoy. You’ll find out later just hold your horses.*

*We can talk about me and I’d love to, but just not— What do you mean I can’t talk about myself? I want to— fine, fine, okay…Please, ask me questions about myse— How on Earth did you hear that?*

*God, okay, that’s annoying. Anyhow, I may have to stay in your head for awhile, just a warning.*

rainedrop-roleplay

Yeah, what do you mean she can't talk about- shit is it she? Sherself- him- It- themself??

*Merlot glares up at the rain, eagerly and somewhat drunkenly latching onto the idea of someone to be pissed at. How dare the background person he can't hear boss around his new head voice who he's not sure the gender situation of and is a bit too drunk to ask about it without stumbling around?*

Bitch??

limitless-liminals

*Use whatever pronouns you’d like. It makes no difference to me since I don’t really get your folks whole gender situation going on. Dont confuse me for those people who have a stick up their ass though. I don’t get it but I also don’t care to be judgy.*

*But let’s uh…let’s ignore that other fella with us. They aren’t part of the story.*

rainedrop-roleplay

..Huh, ok..

...Anyways, the fuck are you doin' in my head?

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see! How do you feel about going for a walk?*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Eh. why not.

*He stands up again, and starts wandering off, following the wall of the Waylay building into the direction of the woods.*

limitless-liminals

*Soooooo, how’dya die? Your file doesn’t really specify.*

The walls of the Waylay are marked by an unusually amount of moss. The longer you travel, the darker the green hue becomes and the denser the plant is. Frigid rain patters against you back as one cloud, hanging lower than the rest, follows you.

*Oh, you’re back from your lunch break!*

rainedrop-roleplay

...That's none of your damn business.

*He peels some moss off the wall, rolling and squishing it into a ball between his hands while he walks.*

limitless-liminals

*It is! I wanna know.*

Kiki.

*What? It’s a good question! We need to tell the higher ups to stop leaving out important information.*

Kiki.

*Fine, fine. I’m sorry, Mr. Merlot.*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Eh. it's fine.

*He slows down a little to look over his shoulder, squinting up at the cloud that seems to be following.*

....Are you the weird cloud?

limitless-liminals

*I wouldn’t call myself a weird cloud but yeah, I’m the cloud!*

The cloud did a little circle in the air. Frankly, I don’t like how overt she’s being but who am I to complain?

*You just think we shouldn’t have any personality ever with our job.*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Huh. sup?

*He waves at the cloud.*

limitless-liminals

The cloud extended a ‘limb’ that waved before it came down closer and closer- KIKI.

*Keep talking!*

Kiki came down to the ground next to you, hovering right in front of you. Its pure white color stood out against the grey, stormy clouds.

*Hi! Hello!*

rainedrop-roleplay

Uh, hi.

*He waves, still competely unphased by all of this. Maybe it's just because he's a bit drunk, or maybe he's just Like That. After a second, he offers Kiki the wadded up ball of moss. That one's definitely from the drunk part, that's a drunk gift.*

limitless-liminals

Kiki giggled and with a ‘hand’ formed from clouds, she took the moss ball and patted him on the head. Oddly, there was substance to it and it felt how a kid might imagine a cloud would, like a soft pillow.

*Thank you for the amazing gift!* she chirped, genuine.

Kiki took the ball and tossed it into her mouth in a motion that can only be assumed as eating it. Afterwards, she hummed in delight.

rainedrop-roleplay

Uh, you're welcome..

*He cracks a crooked smile, then starts walking again.*

...So, what are we doin'?

limitless-liminals

*C’mon, you don’t want to ruin the surprise!*

Kiki began a path into the woods, a portion that seemed unfamiliar no matter how much he had explored here. Dense pine trees decorated the rocky trail. Little light penetrated the forest despite the lack of a thick canopy.

*you’ll seeeeee~*

rainedrop-roleplay

Fiiine..

*He shrugs and keeps walking. Aside from squinting at the unusual darkness, he's not as bothered as he should be by the strange unfamiliarity of the area. Rather than get tense and suspicious, he starts quietly humming a tune.*

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The cloud circled around him routinely, which was convenient considering the tiny amount of luminosity it had. She occasionally obstructed his vision but not enough to be anything more than a slight annoyance.

*Im not annoying!*

You going in front of people’s eyes is though.

*…Oopsies! Sorry, Mr!*

The deeper you went the less her light helped you. It only got darker and darker until you could hardly see a foot in front of you. A few times, you nearly stumbled into a pine tree of hit your foot on a giant rock.

rainedrop-roleplay

Ah fuckin- Hey, I can't fuckin' see shit in here!

*He complains after nearly tripping for a 3rd time.*

Shoulda died with a damn flashlight on me...

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*I can see perfectly fine!*

The air brought goosebumps on your skin, abruptly introducing you to a frozen breath that sent shivers down your spine. Breathing chilled your throat like ice would and it only lingered in your chest.

The path continued on then

Dark.

No light from Kiki and nor natural sunlight

But a primal need to keep moving forward persisted.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot gets... quiet suddenly. He slows to a halt, only to breathe deep and further take in the cold.

The cold is... right. Somewhere cold is where he had been going, before he was stopped in his tracks. Before he was killed. Before he was Waylaid. He starts to move again, a slow walk building up into a desperate sprint. It doesn't matter that he can't see where he's going, it doesn't matter how many times he might crash into a tree or trip and fall and have to get back up, he keeps running with all he has.

Because this has to be it. This is where he needs to be. It's not too late afterall.

He can still make things right.*

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*HEY, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?*

You crash into several pine trees and snow(?) lands on your skin. It melts and chilling liquid dribbles down your shirt and into your hair. Pine needles scrape your skin much deeper than they should and you trip over rocks countless times.

Personally, I’m confused by this new found drive as well but if you wish to quicken the process, who am I to judge?

In the distance is a source of light, nearly blinding like the sun. It stings your cornea to gaze for too long but it highlights the outline of the trees.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Snow. Snow and trees. This is the place, it has to be. Merlot flinches and shields his eyes against the light, but he keeps going. The near empty wine bottle is left behind in the dark, forgotten. No longer needed.*

I have to get there!-

*Behind the arm shielding his face, Merlot's expression is set in fierce determination. There's a fire behind his eyes, reignited.*

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*Suit yourself!*

What is your objective here?

Each footstep seems to take you no where. No where closer to the light and it was like running in a treadmill.

rainedrop-roleplay

Damn it!

*He keeps running, desperation taking determination's place. He's so close, he can't fail again.*

I have to- I have to get there, I have to find It- so I can go back and-

And fucking kill that bastard!!

limitless-liminals

What is it? Who are you killing?

The treadmill-like quality never stopped. He wasn’t running into anything but the frigid temperatures persisted.

*Da— Narrator..?*

Quit it.

rainedrop-roleplay

*It doesn't matter to him that he's not getting any closer. He's sure he HAS to at some point. So he keeps running. And running. Merlot can't help slowing down as exhaustion seeps it's way into his bones, but he doesn't stop. The cold and the pine trees and the snow(?) have unlocked some borderline feral quality within him.*

The.. the Deathless.

When I... am Deathless.. I can kill him- The fucker who killed me!

*Running gradually slows to a jog, then to a walk. Even as his legs are shaking, threatening to give out, and each breath is coming as a harsh gasp, Merlot forces himself forwards. He'll go until he collapses.*

limitless-liminals

Mr. Merlot, I need you to understand that we can help you. Kiki and I have powers beyond what we’ve shown and our connections are wide. Our resources are even grander.

Sit down. Time is paused and running won’t bring you anywhere but closer to exhaustion. The ‘fucker who killed you’ can’t go anywhere either.

In order for us to help, you have to make a semblance of sense. Explain from the beginning what happened.

rainedrop-roleplay

.....from the begining, huh?

*He stops, but for several minutes just, stands in silence. Eventually, he turns to the left a little and slowly sits down, slumping forward a little.*

....

.

.

....Once upon a time, I had a city. I didn't just run it, it was mine. I built it up from the tiny shithole it started as. Turned it into something worth living in. And then I... lost someone. It... left me in a weird fucking haze. Suddenly nothing mattered. So this bastard, August, rose to power right under my fucking nose. Right in front of my face. I should've cared, should have fucking done something, but I didn't. Nothing mattered until...

Until I met his kid.

The piece of shit uses him as a fucking... executioner. Child soldier. Treats him worse than an object. By the time I figured out what was going on, I'd become... this.

*He gestures vaguely at himself.*

Too fucking old and frail and alone to do shit against this young bastard and his... arsenal of zealots and supernatural shit. So I made a little deal with.. something. Learned the answer to my problem.

"Go north, to the coldest corner of the world, and die in the presence of the Deathless. Become it."

....Except I never made it out of the fucking city. August got wind of the fact I was packing up to leave. I did fight back, but it wasn't enough. It was never going to be enough. Not with me like this.

I promised that kid I'd kill the fucker. That I'd give him a normal life...

I failed.

limitless-liminals

Oh…Oh, I’m so sorry…That wasn’t what I was expecting to hear. We’ll see what we can do for you, okay? We know your universe number so we’ll see what we can gather.

*A kid doesn’t deserve that…*

The cloud appeared again and wrapped around you, unnaturally warm. It glowed like a night light, a comforting anchor in this dark abyss.

*You didn’t either. We’ll get you there, okay?*

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot sits frozen, a bit dumbfounded at first. Is this real? Can these voices really help the way they say they can, can they be trusted?... What's the catch going to be? Not that it would matter. He'd do anything to go back and make things right.*

....Okay.

*He reaches up, hugging the cloud back if he can.*

limitless-liminals

Your hands sunk into the cloud a tad as if you were hugging a pillow. She only unwound herself once you let go and even then, she was a tad hesitant.

Unlike before, she didn’t disappear. No, she illuminated the way for you towards the blinding light. The trees were denser and path rockier, less worn down by human travel. Pine needles littered the way alongside the chilly pink, glittery powder decorating the floor and trees.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He gives the cloud a little pat after letting go.*

...Thanks.

*Then he turns and starts heading towards the light again, still determined, but more calm and measured this time.*

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*Of course!*

The temperature gets lower and lower until you’re shivering and your teeth are clattering. Each step is laborious with deeper and deeper powder crunching beneath your feet. The cloud, now much warmer than before, aids you significantly in ensuring a proper body temperature.

*We’re almost there.*

The light is blinding and only a few feet away. Now, it’s impossible to see due to an abundance of light rather than a lack of it. Your eyes brim with tears around the edges, attempting to compensate.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot wraps his arms tight around himself in response to the increasing cold. As the light becomes fully blinding, he shuts his eyes tight, trusting the welcome warmth of the cloud to keep guiding him in the right direction through it.*

Fuckin' hell...

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Brighter.

Brighter.

Brightest.

Beckoning him in like an anglerfish’s light. Welcoming into its maw. A twisting sensation in your gut that something is wrong before it’s

Gone.

Gone like how the light disappeared

Gone like how the twisting in your gut unraveled

Gone like how your life faded away from you.

What awaited on the other side was an old village decorated with cobblestone homes. The same snow littered the roof tops alongside the same pungent cold. Smoke billowed from the chimneys, likely an attempt to stay warm.

A well sat in the center of the town, bucket lowered down inside of it. The same moss decorated the cracking stone while the rest of it remained in pristine condition.

The paths were covered with fresh footprints marking the snow(?). They led from home to home with the steps further down going to larger facilities. It was difficult to see through the thick on slaughter of powder but you could make out the shape of them at the very least.

No one walked outside nor was there any noise, just the snow storm brushing wind against your ear and snow occasionally falling off rooftops in chunks.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot tenses up, even after the unsettling feeling fades...It was there. And it's not an unfamiliar feeling. He slowly opens his eyes to a squint once the light is gone, then rapidly blinks them open the rest of the way.*

....It's... just like it's supposed to be...

*Despite his better instincts, the sight of what appears to be one of the landmarks he was supposed to keep an eye out for on the journey he never started, melts the majority of his remaining caution and suspicion like butter on a frying pan.

He walks up to the front door of the nearest cabin, and knocks.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing. No reply, no movement behind the door, nada.

The cloud hovered over your shoulder, emitting the same warmth as before. She hummed a tune and— Kiki, seriously, get out of there.

*Nope!*

Fine.

rainedrop-roleplay

*With no one answering, he tries opening the door, hoping it'll be unlocked and there'll be something inside to tell him more precisely where he is.*

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The handle clicked open.

…Do you wish to proceed?

rainedrop-roleplay

*...He pauses.*

Why do I feel like this might be a bad idea....

*Despite his clear hesitation, he proceeds inside.*

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With one more shove open and much resistance came snow crashing down with the force of a bunk bed falling on top of you.

It came for you.

It piled on top of you.

It buried itself around you.

The pink powder forced itself into your nostrils and maw, creating plugs where any oxygen may try to get it. It threatened to freeze the flesh the longer it lingered. The meat tingled and became numb, fighting to keep itself warm enough. Your fingertips and ears nipped with frostbite in a similar fashion.

Darkness filled every attempt to see, Kiki’s light doing little for you. Speaking of her, it was impossible to say if she got crashed into as well.

Kiki..?

.

.

.

Ah, I suppose she did.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot's immediate reaction is to try and flail, then start frantically wiping at his face with his sleeves while trying to spit and force air out of his nose, like when you accidentally swallow a bug, or one flies into your nostril, just with more force and urgency.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, what the hell is this? He didn't come this far just to die a second death from suffocation.

He starts to fumble frantically for something in one of his pockets. It's snow(?), surely it doesn't like fire? After a few shaky striking attempts, made even harder with cold fingertips, Merlot's flip lighter blinks to life near his face.*

limitless-liminals

There was a decent bit of leeway where your limbs could move. Where there was a gap was only filled in by more of the loose powder. That included the tiny amount of time you were able to free your nose as it filled back up again, adding the need to sneeze. So long as your mouth remained shut, that was free though.

The light struggled to light.

One spark.

Two spark.

Three spark.

Finally, it was lit and it began to melt. Liquid hit your face, now trying to cut off air through drowning it seemed. At least it was easier to breathe now.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot drags his free hand up to his face, pressing his palm flat against his mouth. Then he cups it, creating an air pocket just long enough to take a deep breath before any of the power and liquid can slip between his fingers.

Holding his breath now, he moves his hand away and starts trying to dig an opening in the snow(?) in front of him. He's sure it's bound to be easier to dig and melt out the side than try to climb up and probably keep sinking. He keeps his head angled down, so any liquid melting from above can only hit the back of his head and flow down the back of his neck.*

limitless-liminals

The tunnel seems endless and there’s no sign of Kiki along the way. There wasn’t a single pip or holler nor shine or glimmer.

It’s the same routine for god knows how long: move powder out of the way and keep going.

But why do you fight it? It’s hard to move your limbs now and you’re beginning to feel warm, oh, so very warm, like a hug from your grandma. The force on you is like a weight blanket lulling you to sleep. It’s quite comfortable, is it not?

rainedrop-roleplay

*Worry for Kiki bristles in the back of his mind, but there's nothing he can do without getting himself out first. He can't risk trying to call out when this stuff almost seems to have a mind of it's own and wants him dead.

A hug from his grandma?? Oh now that's just pissed him off, he doesn't have one of those, fuck you, fuck this warmth, fuck this powder, fucking bitch-

His thoughts are a continuous stream of angry swears as he tries a different approach, digging away at the powder above him and trying to climb up.*

Warm. Your body only grew warmer and it took a second do your to comprehend if up was truly up. Maybe, you weren’t going to the side at all? Which way was where?

Before you could doubt for much longer, light began to peak through the powder. Liquid was drenched all over you and snow(?) clung but there was light. There was always light at the end of the tunnel.

Proceed?

[yes] [no]

It’s so warm.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot pauses for just a moment to do the hand-air-pocket trick again, taking another deep breath and holding it. His lungs are still burning, he really needs a break to breathe properly, but at least he's still not suffocating.

[yes]

He proceeds, digging his way towards the light as fast as he can manage.*

limitless-liminals

It’s so hot. The heat is burning your skin the closer to crawl to the light. You could blame it on the lighter, sure, but it shouldn’t be your entire form.

One tiny layer of powder remains…but there’s finally a peep deeper within.

*HELP!*

It was like a crying baby locked inside a car on a sweltering afternoon…well…if a baby could speak. I’d imagine the tone would sound quite similar, high-pitched and loud while muffled by the car’s metal.

Proceed to the surface? Do you wish to be selfish?

[Yes]

[No]

rainedrop-roleplay

*He freezes in place. Fuck, fuck can a cloud suffocate? Surely not, but she is calling for help.. Merlot cups his hand over his mouth once more, coughing and gasping a couple times before taking a deep breath again. Being a chronic smoker is REALLY not helping here.

He looks at the light a moment longer. Then he turns away from it, beginning to dig towards where he heard the cry for help.

[no]

He caused the avalanche, even though it was an accident. He can't just leave her down there.*

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The light faded away as you dug deeper and deeper. You could hardly feel your limbs anymore. If you didn’t know better, you might assume they weren’t there.

*MERLOT? MERLOT, WHERE ARE YOU?*

She didn’t sound too far away and fortunately, you had a clear direction. It meant diving straight down though.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot curses inwardly, and covers his mouth one more time to yell, hoping it won't be too muffled to carry.*

I'M- *cough COUGH* HERE- ABOVE YOU- *COUHOUGH* JUST HOLD-

*He takes a breath and holds it before he can get trapped in a coughing fit, then flips the lighter closed so he can use both hands to dig. Also to avoid accidentally burning Kiki when he's not sure where precisely she is under the mess of powder.

It's a struggle to keep moving his limbs when he can barely feel them, but it's still not as bad as trying to stand with a bullet through both kneecaps. He dives down.*

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After two feet of digging, you feel the same pillow-life consistency of Kiki’s body. The light within her is dying, flickering like a light bulb out of power.

*Merlot!*

The light intensifies slightly and she climbs closer to you. She wraps around your body with ease, apparently hitching a ride. At the very least, her warmth soothed some of the numbness and her light aided in guiding the way.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Once she wraps around him, Merlot turns and starts to dig back the way he came. He won't bring the lighter back out unless the lack of it really impedes his progress more than just digging with one arm would. He needs to get them both out now, before the dizzyness from poor oxygen gets much worse.

It's no longer about getting himself out. This small fluffy being is clinging to him, depending on him.

He claws at the snow(?) with both hands like a dog, only one goal in mind.

Get out.

Get out.

GET OUT.*

limitless-liminals

And out you popped, oxygen finally entering your lungs with ease. The height of the pile left you able to climb on the roof if you so pleased, which also had its own layer of powder on it.

Kiki’s body expanded and shrank with each desperate inhale and exhale. With the sunlight, you could now see her previously pristine white had shifted into a murky grey. Her form twisted around your body tighter, clinging while she let out a sound akin to a whimpering dog.

rainedrop-roleplay

*After expelling the powder from his nose, Merlot takes a couple minutes to just hack and cough and gasp for air. When darkness is no longer clinging to the corners of his vision, and he doesn't feel like he might fall over from dizzyness, he does climb onto the roof, though not before brushing as much of the powder off to the side as he can.

Once he's safely onto the solid surface, he looks down at Kiki.*

..hey... you alright?

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She let out another whine, clinging tighter now. Kiki’s breathing never calmed down, unlike your own. She shook what you could assume to be her head.

*Scary. Couldn’t move. No, no, no, don’t like. Don’t like.*

rainedrop-roleplay

*His normally rough tone quickly softens.*

Shit, hey, hey hey hey, it's ok, it's ok now. We're out..

*He wraps his arms around her, as best as he can while she's wrapped around him.*

I'm.. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't get you out sooner...

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Her grey color only darkens as water begins to drip, much like a rain cloud would. Kiki’s breathing intensified into short choppy—oh, poor thing…Take care of her for me..

Her head buried into the crook of your neck, words coming out rushed.

*’sokayscaryIdontnonononoImnktmeanttobenoImsorryImsorryshouldnthavehadto*

rainedrop-roleplay

*He hugs her tighter, raising one hand to pat the back of her head.*

Shh, hey.. That shit falling on us was my fault, I'm the one that disturbed the fuckin' building.. And I'm not letting that happen again, okay?

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She nodded into your neck, bristling some more rain off of her. It made no difference when you were already drenched though but at the very least, it washed off some of the glitter.

*Mhm, okay, okay, that’s okay. I shouldn’t-*

She paused and shook her head, her form practically melting into you as her anchor of comfort. Her breathing stayed short and each inhale was akin to a wheeze.

*Im sorry. I shouldn’t have brokentherulesandIshouldntbehereImsosorryIdidntmeantothisispunishmentImsosorry.*

rainedrop-roleplay

Punishment for what? I don't know what "rules" you broke, but FUCK the rules. You've done nothin' wrong. And fuck whoever wants to "punish" you. I'll fuckin' shoot them.

limitless-liminals

She shook head, tears increasing.

*Boss, knows. Always knows. I shouldn’t be here. I’m not a character ImnotIshouldntbe. Foolish dreams.*

Oh, Kiki…Hun, you can always come back up. You don’t have to be down there. Down there is scary, I understand. It’s why I’m not down there.

She let out another whiny noise.

rainedrop-roleplay

Not a... "character?"

"He's not a person, he's not even really human. Just a thing. Don't be silly, C-"

*Merlot's grip on her tightens a bit. Not enough to hurt, just protective. Maybe even a bit possesive.*

..Kiki? You listen to me, alright? You're whatever you want to be, not what some other fucker tells you. You are a person and no piece of shit can make that less true. They can fuckin' try, but it doesn't change the facts.

*He sighs*

You don't... you don't have to believe me right away, either.... If you want to go back to wherever "up" is, if that's safe... It's alright. I get it. This is different and it's scary... But only if you want to. You don't have to do shit. And if you want to stay here, I promise, I'll do every fucking thing I can to keep you safe.

limitless-liminals

Her form turned less solid, melting into a mess if condensation in his hold. Feeling that she was repetitively shaking her head was a difficult task. Her own hold tightened but it didn’t feel that way due to the lack of solidification.

*Wrong, no, no. Mmmmmmm, go home. This isn’t hommmmme. Scary. Bad. Scary bad place.*

Her mind was too overrun by fear and terror to respond in any amount of substance. If you’d like, I can take her off your hands?

rainedrop-roleplay

No. Not until she calms down and decides what she wants..

*He practically snarls at the other voice. Then he starts to slowly maneuver into a sitting position, doing his best to bring Kiki's vaguely noncoporeal form with him. His voice softens again, volume lowered to a half whisper.*

hey, hey we're just gonna sit down for a minute, ok? You're safe, it's ok. Just take some deep breaths, try to calm down... I'm not going anywhere. We'll just, sit right here and you can cry it all out.. You can.. you can go home if you want, just calm down.. I'm gonna sit right here as long as you need.

limitless-liminals

Alright, understood. I just thought that her home might help her. Y’know, familiar locations and all of that.

*I shouldn’t feel like this. I’m sorry. These feelings aren’t mean for me and—* she sniffled, *—I’ll be calm. I’ll be calm soon. It’s okay. I’m okay. I can choose.*

But her breathing didn’t calm and she only continued to melt.

rainedrop-roleplay

No, no no, don't need to apologize. There's not a damn thing wrong with having your feelings. They'll pass on their own, you just calm when you're ready, I don't have anywhere to be right now. Doesn't have to be soon. Okay?

*After a moment, he sighs, then looks up at the sky*

....If she goes home now, can she still come back if she wants to later?

limitless-liminals

She whined and clung on tighter, practically liquid. Kiki was warm, a gracious thing in this frigid temperature. Her color had developed from pristine white to nearly black.

*Wrong. It’s really really really wrong and I should’ve and wrong and bad and I’m sorry and it shouldn’t have happened and I shouldn’t be here.*

To answer your question, I won’t stop her. She is her own person. Other people may though.

rainedrop-roleplay

Fuck... ...Haddie would know what the hell to do here...

....Kiki? What do you want, right now? Do you think you can tell me? Don't worry about what's right or wrong. What do you think might make you feel better?

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She shook her head repeatedly, water smearing under his chin. Kiki was basically only liquid that was clinging to his clothes and skin now in one flat layer. He couldn’t see her breathing but he could hear every pant.

*Scared. I don’t know. I’m sorry, I don’t know. I don’t know. Never felt like this.*

…Kiki, let’s just get you home.

*IdontknowIdontknowIdontknowIdontknow.*

rainedrop-roleplay

It's ok, it's ok, you don't have to know right now... We'll just sit here..

*Merlot's own breath is starting to pick back up again, just a little. He's keeping it under control so as to not freak her out further, but fuck. Is she dying? What if she just keeps going until she doesn't exist anymore? Or is this just normal for her, sort of like it was for-*

.....What if I just, talk about something, huh?.. You wanna hear more about where I come from?... give you something else to focus on..

limitless-liminals

*Mhm, yes, please. That’d be nice.*

At the very least, she wasn’t melting anymore and she didn’t seem to notice his own panic. If she did, it didn’t cause any reaction.

rainedrop-roleplay

....The city I come from, Sulffergette, it rains a whole lot. Probably more than what's... normal, I guess. You're real lucky to get 3 dry days in a row, 5 is wild. Never once saw a complete week without it pouring. Not in 80 fuckin' years. So this... Sittin' on a roof talking, drenched in the rain, it's almost nostalgic. Homelike. 'Cept this time I'm also talkin' to the rain, heh..

...And the city sits down in a fuckin'.. bowl thing in the land. So, we've got this big drainage system to keep the place from flooding. It's like a labyrinth of huge fucking pipes down below the streets. And at some point... people started living down there. Building walkways and docks and shit. Sort of an undercity now. There's... a certain charm to both.

*Merlot's tone noticeably starts to shift the more he talks about his home. Worry and apprehension fade in the face of fondness and pride. There's a definite sparkle returning to his eyes.*

Up above, everything's dark alleys and neon lights. There's color everywhere. Reflected off the full glass windows, in the layer of water that nearly always covers the ground. Even the wet fuckin' trash looks pretty at night when it catches pieces of the stars and the street signs. And then there's the street art. You pass an old brick building or go down to the warehouses, someone'll have tagged it with graffiti, or hand painted some kinda mural. It's... beautiful.

Below is a lot different. It's where people go to get away from other people, or do some things... on the shadier side. There's a black market. A band of necromancers. Been waiting on those fuckers to bring me back, but at this point I don't think they're- Ugh, anyways. The undercity's more... bland and grungy compared to above, but I still like it. You take a boat down the right drainage tunnel, and you'll find some fuckin' guy who won't hold a damn second of conversation to save his life, but will trade you the best fried mushrooms you ever had.

....I really miss it.

limitless-liminals

As she listened, her breathing gradually began to slow. Her color, once dark grey and melting, formed into a more solid, light grey cloud. Where there once was worried thoughts was replaced by her images.

With her imagination came mini clouds that split from her body that were shaped to be what he described: Pipes and trash and graffiti colored into buildings. The colors were like watercolor, likely not as vibrant as what he had described, but they got the point across. Mini sculpted people roamed the streets, only becoming more detailed as she calmed down.

*I’d wanna go there too…maybe we could in the future…?*

Kiki, you won’t be able to…

*…*

She began to melt slightly once more.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He marvels at the mini clouds and the pictures they form, an actual grin starts to form on his face, and a laugh starts to build in his throat, but both are cut off at the narrator's words. He glares up at the sky.*

Hey, shut the fuck up!

*Then he looks back down at Kiki, his gentle tone of voice returning right away.*

Ignore that shit. I'll find some way to show it to you, I learned a LONG time ago there's no such fuckin' thing as "impossible."

First thing you should see in Sulffergette is the view from a 50th floor high rise. You get high up enough, the streets look like a galaxy. And then we can go down and get ramen.

limitless-liminals

Kiki giggled for a second, color lightening once more. A cloud booped Merlot’s nose before fading into nothing.

*Be nice! I know I won’t actually be able to leave. I just like to dream sometimes. Maybe, I could try to recreate it later.*

She sighed and began detailing the sculpture once more.

rainedrop-roleplay

Yeah well, a certain someone should be nice about your dreams, then...

I meant what I said though. Nothin's impossible.

limitless-liminals

Merlot, as much as I appreciate your intent, you’re doing more harm than good. For her and I, we both can’t leave our own universe other than for the sake of tasks. Both of us are very limited. That’s not me being rude, just me being realistic. False hope hurts.

…Kiki’s color began to darken and sculpture began to lose detail once more…Kiki, Im not trying to hurt you…we both know this.

*I know…*

She moves closer to you.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He looks up again, hugging Kiki a little tighter.*

Is it a "you fall apart if you're outside of your dimension for too long" sorta thing, or is it a "I need to shoot god" sorta thing? Because I'll fuckin' do it.

*He's dead (badum-tss) serious. This man WILL shoot god or whatever equivalent in the face for both of you.*

limitless-liminals

*Its boss…please don’t do anything…*

The powder continued to hit your back but Kiki’s tears dripping from the cloud like rain only added to the moisture. She shook her head and let out a tiny whine of distress, sounding much like wind.

But no, you shouldn’t. There won’t be much success there. This is the way it’s been since ewe were both born.

rainedrop-roleplay

Alright, alright... We won't worry about all that...

*"Right now" is the unspoken end to that sentence. He won't focus on that right now, he's dropping the subject. But he's not going to forget this. It's too close to home. His mind is already made up.*

....You know, I've never actually seen snow before. I'd been told what it would be like, but this is my first time actually seeing it myself.

limitless-liminals

Kiki couldn’t help but snicker *Snow is white, silly! This is similar but it’s not snow.*

She booped your nose, fading back to a pristine white. This time, she seemed much more solid than before even. It was like— Kiki, hold on, Kiki.

*:3*

I still don’t know how you speak those faces.

rainedrop-roleplay

Well what the fuck is this shit then??? It melted! Did I almost fuckin' drown in.. frozen sparkling water?? Fucking glitter?

limitless-liminals

*Well, it’s—*

Confidential.

*Kill joy.*

She huffed and flipped off the air, form only solidifying more. The warmth remained thankfully. Kiki giggled. Yeah, okay, let’s not listen to what I’ve told you in the past. Fuck you too then.

rainedrop-roleplay

Oh, so I gotta be nice, but you can flip them off?

*He postures like he's annoyed, but his tone is clearly just amused.*

limitless-liminals

*I know them better than you do!* she giggled.

*Just..holddddd onnnnn, I have a surprise. I want—*

Everything else was cut off by a blinding light and cartoony twinkling noise. It was like getting flashbanged. Holy shit, Kiki, are you trying to blind him?

rainedrop-roleplay

WHAT in the GODDAMN FUCKIN- ????

*He immediately slaps a hand over his eyes.*

limitless-liminals

*Oopsies!*

The light faded away and the soft cloud felt like flesh. She sat in your lap, newly developed “human” arms around your neck. Her fluffy white hair, much like a cloud, took up most of your vision with the metallic accessories reflected some residual light into your eyes. Pink irises, more than a human should have, excitably scanned for your reaction.

Kiki, turn back.

*:P*

rainedrop-roleplay

*Woah, that rain sure is coming down hard! Get it because— wha’dya say? Oh! Sorry, sorry, okay, ahem. I’ll restart. Ignore this, sorry. My friend is on lunch break.*

*The rain is coming down hard tonight, thunder accenting the downpour. Tell me, Mr.Merlot, what are you up to tonight?*

@limitless-liminals

....The hell's it look like? 'M drunk in the damn rain.

*He's sitting just outside the main Waylay doors, with a bottle of wine, absolutely drenched. He takes a long sip from what's left in the bottle, before it hits him that he just... heard...? and spoke to somebody.*

...Wait what. The fuck?

*He stands up and looks around. With nobody in sight, he squints up into the rain.*

I am nowhere near fucked up enough to hallucinate shit.... ????

limitless-liminals

*I forgot my voice comes across differently than the other narrator. This mayyyyy be an issue. She needs to get back here soon…*

*Okay, Merlot, I need you to pretend that I’m just in your head in the way your thoughts are! Still talk to me though because it’s lonely otherwise but I’m meant to be here. Got it? Got it. Amazing, great, moving on.*

*Why are you drunk tonight?*

rainedrop-roleplay

How'd you get in there. Nobody's s'posed to get in there since-

..Ah whatever. Fuck it.

*He sits back down, still talking aloud.*

....Not a whole lot else to do. Ro has th'kids, don't need me hanging around constantly.

..Gah, that makes me sound fuckin' married or divorced some shit...

I got nothing, alright? 'Cept bein' in my own head. And that shit sucks. So, the fuck are you doin' in there tonight?

limitless-liminals

*Thats a little secret for later. C’mon, don’t try to spoil the surprise, killjoy. You’ll find out later just hold your horses.*

*We can talk about me and I’d love to, but just not— What do you mean I can’t talk about myself? I want to— fine, fine, okay…Please, ask me questions about myse— How on Earth did you hear that?*

*God, okay, that’s annoying. Anyhow, I may have to stay in your head for awhile, just a warning.*

rainedrop-roleplay

Yeah, what do you mean she can't talk about- shit is it she? Sherself- him- It- themself??

*Merlot glares up at the rain, eagerly and somewhat drunkenly latching onto the idea of someone to be pissed at. How dare the background person he can't hear boss around his new head voice who he's not sure the gender situation of and is a bit too drunk to ask about it without stumbling around?*

Bitch??

limitless-liminals

*Use whatever pronouns you’d like. It makes no difference to me since I don’t really get your folks whole gender situation going on. Dont confuse me for those people who have a stick up their ass though. I don’t get it but I also don’t care to be judgy.*

*But let’s uh…let’s ignore that other fella with us. They aren’t part of the story.*

rainedrop-roleplay

..Huh, ok..

...Anyways, the fuck are you doin' in my head?

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see! How do you feel about going for a walk?*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Eh. why not.

*He stands up again, and starts wandering off, following the wall of the Waylay building into the direction of the woods.*

limitless-liminals

*Soooooo, how’dya die? Your file doesn’t really specify.*

The walls of the Waylay are marked by an unusually amount of moss. The longer you travel, the darker the green hue becomes and the denser the plant is. Frigid rain patters against you back as one cloud, hanging lower than the rest, follows you.

*Oh, you’re back from your lunch break!*

rainedrop-roleplay

...That's none of your damn business.

*He peels some moss off the wall, rolling and squishing it into a ball between his hands while he walks.*

limitless-liminals

*It is! I wanna know.*

Kiki.

*What? It’s a good question! We need to tell the higher ups to stop leaving out important information.*

Kiki.

*Fine, fine. I’m sorry, Mr. Merlot.*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Eh. it's fine.

*He slows down a little to look over his shoulder, squinting up at the cloud that seems to be following.*

....Are you the weird cloud?

limitless-liminals

*I wouldn’t call myself a weird cloud but yeah, I’m the cloud!*

The cloud did a little circle in the air. Frankly, I don’t like how overt she’s being but who am I to complain?

*You just think we shouldn’t have any personality ever with our job.*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Huh. sup?

*He waves at the cloud.*

limitless-liminals

The cloud extended a ‘limb’ that waved before it came down closer and closer- KIKI.

*Keep talking!*

Kiki came down to the ground next to you, hovering right in front of you. Its pure white color stood out against the grey, stormy clouds.

*Hi! Hello!*

rainedrop-roleplay

Uh, hi.

*He waves, still competely unphased by all of this. Maybe it's just because he's a bit drunk, or maybe he's just Like That. After a second, he offers Kiki the wadded up ball of moss. That one's definitely from the drunk part, that's a drunk gift.*

limitless-liminals

Kiki giggled and with a ‘hand’ formed from clouds, she took the moss ball and patted him on the head. Oddly, there was substance to it and it felt how a kid might imagine a cloud would, like a soft pillow.

*Thank you for the amazing gift!* she chirped, genuine.

Kiki took the ball and tossed it into her mouth in a motion that can only be assumed as eating it. Afterwards, she hummed in delight.

rainedrop-roleplay

Uh, you're welcome..

*He cracks a crooked smile, then starts walking again.*

...So, what are we doin'?

limitless-liminals

*C’mon, you don’t want to ruin the surprise!*

Kiki began a path into the woods, a portion that seemed unfamiliar no matter how much he had explored here. Dense pine trees decorated the rocky trail. Little light penetrated the forest despite the lack of a thick canopy.

*you’ll seeeeee~*

rainedrop-roleplay

Fiiine..

*He shrugs and keeps walking. Aside from squinting at the unusual darkness, he's not as bothered as he should be by the strange unfamiliarity of the area. Rather than get tense and suspicious, he starts quietly humming a tune.*

limitless-liminals

The cloud circled around him routinely, which was convenient considering the tiny amount of luminosity it had. She occasionally obstructed his vision but not enough to be anything more than a slight annoyance.

*Im not annoying!*

You going in front of people’s eyes is though.

*…Oopsies! Sorry, Mr!*

The deeper you went the less her light helped you. It only got darker and darker until you could hardly see a foot in front of you. A few times, you nearly stumbled into a pine tree of hit your foot on a giant rock.

rainedrop-roleplay

Ah fuckin- Hey, I can't fuckin' see shit in here!

*He complains after nearly tripping for a 3rd time.*

Shoulda died with a damn flashlight on me...

limitless-liminals

*I can see perfectly fine!*

The air brought goosebumps on your skin, abruptly introducing you to a frozen breath that sent shivers down your spine. Breathing chilled your throat like ice would and it only lingered in your chest.

The path continued on then

Dark.

No light from Kiki and nor natural sunlight

But a primal need to keep moving forward persisted.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot gets... quiet suddenly. He slows to a halt, only to breathe deep and further take in the cold.

The cold is... right. Somewhere cold is where he had been going, before he was stopped in his tracks. Before he was killed. Before he was Waylaid. He starts to move again, a slow walk building up into a desperate sprint. It doesn't matter that he can't see where he's going, it doesn't matter how many times he might crash into a tree or trip and fall and have to get back up, he keeps running with all he has.

Because this has to be it. This is where he needs to be. It's not too late afterall.

He can still make things right.*

limitless-liminals

*HEY, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?*

You crash into several pine trees and snow(?) lands on your skin. It melts and chilling liquid dribbles down your shirt and into your hair. Pine needles scrape your skin much deeper than they should and you trip over rocks countless times.

Personally, I’m confused by this new found drive as well but if you wish to quicken the process, who am I to judge?

In the distance is a source of light, nearly blinding like the sun. It stings your cornea to gaze for too long but it highlights the outline of the trees.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Snow. Snow and trees. This is the place, it has to be. Merlot flinches and shields his eyes against the light, but he keeps going. The near empty wine bottle is left behind in the dark, forgotten. No longer needed.*

I have to get there!-

*Behind the arm shielding his face, Merlot's expression is set in fierce determination. There's a fire behind his eyes, reignited.*

limitless-liminals

*Suit yourself!*

What is your objective here?

Each footstep seems to take you no where. No where closer to the light and it was like running in a treadmill.

rainedrop-roleplay

Damn it!

*He keeps running, desperation taking determination's place. He's so close, he can't fail again.*

I have to- I have to get there, I have to find It- so I can go back and-

And fucking kill that bastard!!

limitless-liminals

What is it? Who are you killing?

The treadmill-like quality never stopped. He wasn’t running into anything but the frigid temperatures persisted.

*Da— Narrator..?*

Quit it.

rainedrop-roleplay

*It doesn't matter to him that he's not getting any closer. He's sure he HAS to at some point. So he keeps running. And running. Merlot can't help slowing down as exhaustion seeps it's way into his bones, but he doesn't stop. The cold and the pine trees and the snow(?) have unlocked some borderline feral quality within him.*

The.. the Deathless.

When I... am Deathless.. I can kill him- The fucker who killed me!

*Running gradually slows to a jog, then to a walk. Even as his legs are shaking, threatening to give out, and each breath is coming as a harsh gasp, Merlot forces himself forwards. He'll go until he collapses.*

limitless-liminals

Mr. Merlot, I need you to understand that we can help you. Kiki and I have powers beyond what we’ve shown and our connections are wide. Our resources are even grander.

Sit down. Time is paused and running won’t bring you anywhere but closer to exhaustion. The ‘fucker who killed you’ can’t go anywhere either.

In order for us to help, you have to make a semblance of sense. Explain from the beginning what happened.

rainedrop-roleplay

.....from the begining, huh?

*He stops, but for several minutes just, stands in silence. Eventually, he turns to the left a little and slowly sits down, slumping forward a little.*

....

.

.

....Once upon a time, I had a city. I didn't just run it, it was mine. I built it up from the tiny shithole it started as. Turned it into something worth living in. And then I... lost someone. It... left me in a weird fucking haze. Suddenly nothing mattered. So this bastard, August, rose to power right under my fucking nose. Right in front of my face. I should've cared, should have fucking done something, but I didn't. Nothing mattered until...

Until I met his kid.

The piece of shit uses him as a fucking... executioner. Child soldier. Treats him worse than an object. By the time I figured out what was going on, I'd become... this.

*He gestures vaguely at himself.*

Too fucking old and frail and alone to do shit against this young bastard and his... arsenal of zealots and supernatural shit. So I made a little deal with.. something. Learned the answer to my problem.

"Go north, to the coldest corner of the world, and die in the presence of the Deathless. Become it."

....Except I never made it out of the fucking city. August got wind of the fact I was packing up to leave. I did fight back, but it wasn't enough. It was never going to be enough. Not with me like this.

I promised that kid I'd kill the fucker. That I'd give him a normal life...

I failed.

limitless-liminals

Oh…Oh, I’m so sorry…That wasn’t what I was expecting to hear. We’ll see what we can do for you, okay? We know your universe number so we’ll see what we can gather.

*A kid doesn’t deserve that…*

The cloud appeared again and wrapped around you, unnaturally warm. It glowed like a night light, a comforting anchor in this dark abyss.

*You didn’t either. We’ll get you there, okay?*

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot sits frozen, a bit dumbfounded at first. Is this real? Can these voices really help the way they say they can, can they be trusted?... What's the catch going to be? Not that it would matter. He'd do anything to go back and make things right.*

....Okay.

*He reaches up, hugging the cloud back if he can.*

limitless-liminals

Your hands sunk into the cloud a tad as if you were hugging a pillow. She only unwound herself once you let go and even then, she was a tad hesitant.

Unlike before, she didn’t disappear. No, she illuminated the way for you towards the blinding light. The trees were denser and path rockier, less worn down by human travel. Pine needles littered the way alongside the chilly pink, glittery powder decorating the floor and trees.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He gives the cloud a little pat after letting go.*

...Thanks.

*Then he turns and starts heading towards the light again, still determined, but more calm and measured this time.*

limitless-liminals

*Of course!*

The temperature gets lower and lower until you’re shivering and your teeth are clattering. Each step is laborious with deeper and deeper powder crunching beneath your feet. The cloud, now much warmer than before, aids you significantly in ensuring a proper body temperature.

*We’re almost there.*

The light is blinding and only a few feet away. Now, it’s impossible to see due to an abundance of light rather than a lack of it. Your eyes brim with tears around the edges, attempting to compensate.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot wraps his arms tight around himself in response to the increasing cold. As the light becomes fully blinding, he shuts his eyes tight, trusting the welcome warmth of the cloud to keep guiding him in the right direction through it.*

Fuckin' hell...

limitless-liminals

Brighter.

Brighter.

Brightest.

Beckoning him in like an anglerfish’s light. Welcoming into its maw. A twisting sensation in your gut that something is wrong before it’s

Gone.

Gone like how the light disappeared

Gone like how the twisting in your gut unraveled

Gone like how your life faded away from you.

What awaited on the other side was an old village decorated with cobblestone homes. The same snow littered the roof tops alongside the same pungent cold. Smoke billowed from the chimneys, likely an attempt to stay warm.

A well sat in the center of the town, bucket lowered down inside of it. The same moss decorated the cracking stone while the rest of it remained in pristine condition.

The paths were covered with fresh footprints marking the snow(?). They led from home to home with the steps further down going to larger facilities. It was difficult to see through the thick on slaughter of powder but you could make out the shape of them at the very least.

No one walked outside nor was there any noise, just the snow storm brushing wind against your ear and snow occasionally falling off rooftops in chunks.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot tenses up, even after the unsettling feeling fades...It was there. And it's not an unfamiliar feeling. He slowly opens his eyes to a squint once the light is gone, then rapidly blinks them open the rest of the way.*

....It's... just like it's supposed to be...

*Despite his better instincts, the sight of what appears to be one of the landmarks he was supposed to keep an eye out for on the journey he never started, melts the majority of his remaining caution and suspicion like butter on a frying pan.

He walks up to the front door of the nearest cabin, and knocks.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing. No reply, no movement behind the door, nada.

The cloud hovered over your shoulder, emitting the same warmth as before. She hummed a tune and— Kiki, seriously, get out of there.

*Nope!*

Fine.

rainedrop-roleplay

*With no one answering, he tries opening the door, hoping it'll be unlocked and there'll be something inside to tell him more precisely where he is.*

limitless-liminals

The handle clicked open.

…Do you wish to proceed?

rainedrop-roleplay

*...He pauses.*

Why do I feel like this might be a bad idea....

*Despite his clear hesitation, he proceeds inside.*

limitless-liminals

With one more shove open and much resistance came snow crashing down with the force of a bunk bed falling on top of you.

It came for you.

It piled on top of you.

It buried itself around you.

The pink powder forced itself into your nostrils and maw, creating plugs where any oxygen may try to get it. It threatened to freeze the flesh the longer it lingered. The meat tingled and became numb, fighting to keep itself warm enough. Your fingertips and ears nipped with frostbite in a similar fashion.

Darkness filled every attempt to see, Kiki’s light doing little for you. Speaking of her, it was impossible to say if she got crashed into as well.

Kiki..?

.

.

.

Ah, I suppose she did.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot's immediate reaction is to try and flail, then start frantically wiping at his face with his sleeves while trying to spit and force air out of his nose, like when you accidentally swallow a bug, or one flies into your nostril, just with more force and urgency.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, what the hell is this? He didn't come this far just to die a second death from suffocation.

He starts to fumble frantically for something in one of his pockets. It's snow(?), surely it doesn't like fire? After a few shaky striking attempts, made even harder with cold fingertips, Merlot's flip lighter blinks to life near his face.*

limitless-liminals

There was a decent bit of leeway where your limbs could move. Where there was a gap was only filled in by more of the loose powder. That included the tiny amount of time you were able to free your nose as it filled back up again, adding the need to sneeze. So long as your mouth remained shut, that was free though.

The light struggled to light.

One spark.

Two spark.

Three spark.

Finally, it was lit and it began to melt. Liquid hit your face, now trying to cut off air through drowning it seemed. At least it was easier to breathe now.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot drags his free hand up to his face, pressing his palm flat against his mouth. Then he cups it, creating an air pocket just long enough to take a deep breath before any of the power and liquid can slip between his fingers.

Holding his breath now, he moves his hand away and starts trying to dig an opening in the snow(?) in front of him. He's sure it's bound to be easier to dig and melt out the side than try to climb up and probably keep sinking. He keeps his head angled down, so any liquid melting from above can only hit the back of his head and flow down the back of his neck.*

limitless-liminals

The tunnel seems endless and there’s no sign of Kiki along the way. There wasn’t a single pip or holler nor shine or glimmer.

It’s the same routine for god knows how long: move powder out of the way and keep going.

But why do you fight it? It’s hard to move your limbs now and you’re beginning to feel warm, oh, so very warm, like a hug from your grandma. The force on you is like a weight blanket lulling you to sleep. It’s quite comfortable, is it not?

rainedrop-roleplay

*Worry for Kiki bristles in the back of his mind, but there's nothing he can do without getting himself out first. He can't risk trying to call out when this stuff almost seems to have a mind of it's own and wants him dead.

A hug from his grandma?? Oh now that's just pissed him off, he doesn't have one of those, fuck you, fuck this warmth, fuck this powder, fucking bitch-

His thoughts are a continuous stream of angry swears as he tries a different approach, digging away at the powder above him and trying to climb up.*

Warm. Your body only grew warmer and it took a second do your to comprehend if up was truly up. Maybe, you weren’t going to the side at all? Which way was where?

Before you could doubt for much longer, light began to peak through the powder. Liquid was drenched all over you and snow(?) clung but there was light. There was always light at the end of the tunnel.

Proceed?

[yes] [no]

It’s so warm.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot pauses for just a moment to do the hand-air-pocket trick again, taking another deep breath and holding it. His lungs are still burning, he really needs a break to breathe properly, but at least he's still not suffocating.

[yes]

He proceeds, digging his way towards the light as fast as he can manage.*

limitless-liminals

It’s so hot. The heat is burning your skin the closer to crawl to the light. You could blame it on the lighter, sure, but it shouldn’t be your entire form.

One tiny layer of powder remains…but there’s finally a peep deeper within.

*HELP!*

It was like a crying baby locked inside a car on a sweltering afternoon…well…if a baby could speak. I’d imagine the tone would sound quite similar, high-pitched and loud while muffled by the car’s metal.

Proceed to the surface? Do you wish to be selfish?

[Yes]

[No]

rainedrop-roleplay

*He freezes in place. Fuck, fuck can a cloud suffocate? Surely not, but she is calling for help.. Merlot cups his hand over his mouth once more, coughing and gasping a couple times before taking a deep breath again. Being a chronic smoker is REALLY not helping here.

He looks at the light a moment longer. Then he turns away from it, beginning to dig towards where he heard the cry for help.

[no]

He caused the avalanche, even though it was an accident. He can't just leave her down there.*

limitless-liminals

The light faded away as you dug deeper and deeper. You could hardly feel your limbs anymore. If you didn’t know better, you might assume they weren’t there.

*MERLOT? MERLOT, WHERE ARE YOU?*

She didn’t sound too far away and fortunately, you had a clear direction. It meant diving straight down though.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot curses inwardly, and covers his mouth one more time to yell, hoping it won't be too muffled to carry.*

I'M- *cough COUGH* HERE- ABOVE YOU- *COUHOUGH* JUST HOLD-

*He takes a breath and holds it before he can get trapped in a coughing fit, then flips the lighter closed so he can use both hands to dig. Also to avoid accidentally burning Kiki when he's not sure where precisely she is under the mess of powder.

It's a struggle to keep moving his limbs when he can barely feel them, but it's still not as bad as trying to stand with a bullet through both kneecaps. He dives down.*

limitless-liminals

After two feet of digging, you feel the same pillow-life consistency of Kiki’s body. The light within her is dying, flickering like a light bulb out of power.

*Merlot!*

The light intensifies slightly and she climbs closer to you. She wraps around your body with ease, apparently hitching a ride. At the very least, her warmth soothed some of the numbness and her light aided in guiding the way.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Once she wraps around him, Merlot turns and starts to dig back the way he came. He won't bring the lighter back out unless the lack of it really impedes his progress more than just digging with one arm would. He needs to get them both out now, before the dizzyness from poor oxygen gets much worse.

It's no longer about getting himself out. This small fluffy being is clinging to him, depending on him.

He claws at the snow(?) with both hands like a dog, only one goal in mind.

Get out.

Get out.

GET OUT.*

limitless-liminals

And out you popped, oxygen finally entering your lungs with ease. The height of the pile left you able to climb on the roof if you so pleased, which also had its own layer of powder on it.

Kiki’s body expanded and shrank with each desperate inhale and exhale. With the sunlight, you could now see her previously pristine white had shifted into a murky grey. Her form twisted around your body tighter, clinging while she let out a sound akin to a whimpering dog.

rainedrop-roleplay

*After expelling the powder from his nose, Merlot takes a couple minutes to just hack and cough and gasp for air. When darkness is no longer clinging to the corners of his vision, and he doesn't feel like he might fall over from dizzyness, he does climb onto the roof, though not before brushing as much of the powder off to the side as he can.

Once he's safely onto the solid surface, he looks down at Kiki.*

..hey... you alright?

limitless-liminals

She let out another whine, clinging tighter now. Kiki’s breathing never calmed down, unlike your own. She shook what you could assume to be her head.

*Scary. Couldn’t move. No, no, no, don’t like. Don’t like.*

rainedrop-roleplay

*His normally rough tone quickly softens.*

Shit, hey, hey hey hey, it's ok, it's ok now. We're out..

*He wraps his arms around her, as best as he can while she's wrapped around him.*

I'm.. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't get you out sooner...

limitless-liminals

Her grey color only darkens as water begins to drip, much like a rain cloud would. Kiki’s breathing intensified into short choppy—oh, poor thing…Take care of her for me..

Her head buried into the crook of your neck, words coming out rushed.

*’sokayscaryIdontnonononoImnktmeanttobenoImsorryImsorryshouldnthavehadto*

rainedrop-roleplay

*He hugs her tighter, raising one hand to pat the back of her head.*

Shh, hey.. That shit falling on us was my fault, I'm the one that disturbed the fuckin' building.. And I'm not letting that happen again, okay?

limitless-liminals

She nodded into your neck, bristling some more rain off of her. It made no difference when you were already drenched though but at the very least, it washed off some of the glitter.

*Mhm, okay, okay, that’s okay. I shouldn’t-*

She paused and shook her head, her form practically melting into you as her anchor of comfort. Her breathing stayed short and each inhale was akin to a wheeze.

*Im sorry. I shouldn’t have brokentherulesandIshouldntbehereImsosorryIdidntmeantothisispunishmentImsosorry.*

rainedrop-roleplay

Punishment for what? I don't know what "rules" you broke, but FUCK the rules. You've done nothin' wrong. And fuck whoever wants to "punish" you. I'll fuckin' shoot them.

limitless-liminals

She shook head, tears increasing.

*Boss, knows. Always knows. I shouldn’t be here. I’m not a character ImnotIshouldntbe. Foolish dreams.*

Oh, Kiki…Hun, you can always come back up. You don’t have to be down there. Down there is scary, I understand. It’s why I’m not down there.

She let out another whiny noise.

rainedrop-roleplay

Not a... "character?"

"He's not a person, he's not even really human. Just a thing. Don't be silly, C-"

*Merlot's grip on her tightens a bit. Not enough to hurt, just protective. Maybe even a bit possesive.*

..Kiki? You listen to me, alright? You're whatever you want to be, not what some other fucker tells you. You are a person and no piece of shit can make that less true. They can fuckin' try, but it doesn't change the facts.

*He sighs*

You don't... you don't have to believe me right away, either.... If you want to go back to wherever "up" is, if that's safe... It's alright. I get it. This is different and it's scary... But only if you want to. You don't have to do shit. And if you want to stay here, I promise, I'll do every fucking thing I can to keep you safe.

limitless-liminals

Her form turned less solid, melting into a mess if condensation in his hold. Feeling that she was repetitively shaking her head was a difficult task. Her own hold tightened but it didn’t feel that way due to the lack of solidification.

*Wrong, no, no. Mmmmmmm, go home. This isn’t hommmmme. Scary. Bad. Scary bad place.*

Her mind was too overrun by fear and terror to respond in any amount of substance. If you’d like, I can take her off your hands?

rainedrop-roleplay

No. Not until she calms down and decides what she wants..

*He practically snarls at the other voice. Then he starts to slowly maneuver into a sitting position, doing his best to bring Kiki's vaguely noncoporeal form with him. His voice softens again, volume lowered to a half whisper.*

hey, hey we're just gonna sit down for a minute, ok? You're safe, it's ok. Just take some deep breaths, try to calm down... I'm not going anywhere. We'll just, sit right here and you can cry it all out.. You can.. you can go home if you want, just calm down.. I'm gonna sit right here as long as you need.

limitless-liminals

Alright, understood. I just thought that her home might help her. Y’know, familiar locations and all of that.

*I shouldn’t feel like this. I’m sorry. These feelings aren’t mean for me and—* she sniffled, *—I’ll be calm. I’ll be calm soon. It’s okay. I’m okay. I can choose.*

But her breathing didn’t calm and she only continued to melt.

rainedrop-roleplay

No, no no, don't need to apologize. There's not a damn thing wrong with having your feelings. They'll pass on their own, you just calm when you're ready, I don't have anywhere to be right now. Doesn't have to be soon. Okay?

*After a moment, he sighs, then looks up at the sky*

....If she goes home now, can she still come back if she wants to later?

limitless-liminals

She whined and clung on tighter, practically liquid. Kiki was warm, a gracious thing in this frigid temperature. Her color had developed from pristine white to nearly black.

*Wrong. It’s really really really wrong and I should’ve and wrong and bad and I’m sorry and it shouldn’t have happened and I shouldn’t be here.*

To answer your question, I won’t stop her. She is her own person. Other people may though.

rainedrop-roleplay

Fuck... ...Haddie would know what the hell to do here...

....Kiki? What do you want, right now? Do you think you can tell me? Don't worry about what's right or wrong. What do you think might make you feel better?

limitless-liminals

She shook her head repeatedly, water smearing under his chin. Kiki was basically only liquid that was clinging to his clothes and skin now in one flat layer. He couldn’t see her breathing but he could hear every pant.

*Scared. I don’t know. I’m sorry, I don’t know. I don’t know. Never felt like this.*

…Kiki, let’s just get you home.

*IdontknowIdontknowIdontknowIdontknow.*

rainedrop-roleplay

It's ok, it's ok, you don't have to know right now... We'll just sit here..

*Merlot's own breath is starting to pick back up again, just a little. He's keeping it under control so as to not freak her out further, but fuck. Is she dying? What if she just keeps going until she doesn't exist anymore? Or is this just normal for her, sort of like it was for-*

.....What if I just, talk about something, huh?.. You wanna hear more about where I come from?... give you something else to focus on..

limitless-liminals

*Mhm, yes, please. That’d be nice.*

At the very least, she wasn’t melting anymore and she didn’t seem to notice his own panic. If she did, it didn’t cause any reaction.

rainedrop-roleplay

....The city I come from, Sulffergette, it rains a whole lot. Probably more than what's... normal, I guess. You're real lucky to get 3 dry days in a row, 5 is wild. Never once saw a complete week without it pouring. Not in 80 fuckin' years. So this... Sittin' on a roof talking, drenched in the rain, it's almost nostalgic. Homelike. 'Cept this time I'm also talkin' to the rain, heh..

...And the city sits down in a fuckin'.. bowl thing in the land. So, we've got this big drainage system to keep the place from flooding. It's like a labyrinth of huge fucking pipes down below the streets. And at some point... people started living down there. Building walkways and docks and shit. Sort of an undercity now. There's... a certain charm to both.

*Merlot's tone noticeably starts to shift the more he talks about his home. Worry and apprehension fade in the face of fondness and pride. There's a definite sparkle returning to his eyes.*

Up above, everything's dark alleys and neon lights. There's color everywhere. Reflected off the full glass windows, in the layer of water that nearly always covers the ground. Even the wet fuckin' trash looks pretty at night when it catches pieces of the stars and the street signs. And then there's the street art. You pass an old brick building or go down to the warehouses, someone'll have tagged it with graffiti, or hand painted some kinda mural. It's... beautiful.

Below is a lot different. It's where people go to get away from other people, or do some things... on the shadier side. There's a black market. A band of necromancers. Been waiting on those fuckers to bring me back, but at this point I don't think they're- Ugh, anyways. The undercity's more... bland and grungy compared to above, but I still like it. You take a boat down the right drainage tunnel, and you'll find some fuckin' guy who won't hold a damn second of conversation to save his life, but will trade you the best fried mushrooms you ever had.

....I really miss it.

limitless-liminals

As she listened, her breathing gradually began to slow. Her color, once dark grey and melting, formed into a more solid, light grey cloud. Where there once was worried thoughts was replaced by her images.

With her imagination came mini clouds that split from her body that were shaped to be what he described: Pipes and trash and graffiti colored into buildings. The colors were like watercolor, likely not as vibrant as what he had described, but they got the point across. Mini sculpted people roamed the streets, only becoming more detailed as she calmed down.

*I’d wanna go there too…maybe we could in the future…?*

Kiki, you won’t be able to…

*…*

She began to melt slightly once more.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He marvels at the mini clouds and the pictures they form, an actual grin starts to form on his face, and a laugh starts to build in his throat, but both are cut off at the narrator's words. He glares up at the sky.*

Hey, shut the fuck up!

*Then he looks back down at Kiki, his gentle tone of voice returning right away.*

Ignore that shit. I'll find some way to show it to you, I learned a LONG time ago there's no such fuckin' thing as "impossible."

First thing you should see in Sulffergette is the view from a 50th floor high rise. You get high up enough, the streets look like a galaxy. And then we can go down and get ramen.

limitless-liminals

Kiki giggled for a second, color lightening once more. A cloud booped Merlot’s nose before fading into nothing.

*Be nice! I know I won’t actually be able to leave. I just like to dream sometimes. Maybe, I could try to recreate it later.*

She sighed and began detailing the sculpture once more.

rainedrop-roleplay

Yeah well, a certain someone should be nice about your dreams, then...

I meant what I said though. Nothin's impossible.

limitless-liminals

Merlot, as much as I appreciate your intent, you’re doing more harm than good. For her and I, we both can’t leave our own universe other than for the sake of tasks. Both of us are very limited. That’s not me being rude, just me being realistic. False hope hurts.

…Kiki’s color began to darken and sculpture began to lose detail once more…Kiki, Im not trying to hurt you…we both know this.

*I know…*

She moves closer to you.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He looks up again, hugging Kiki a little tighter.*

Is it a "you fall apart if you're outside of your dimension for too long" sorta thing, or is it a "I need to shoot god" sorta thing? Because I'll fuckin' do it.

*He's dead (badum-tss) serious. This man WILL shoot god or whatever equivalent in the face for both of you.*

limitless-liminals

*Its boss…please don’t do anything…*

The powder continued to hit your back but Kiki’s tears dripping from the cloud like rain only added to the moisture. She shook her head and let out a tiny whine of distress, sounding much like wind.

But no, you shouldn’t. There won’t be much success there. This is the way it’s been since ewe were both born.

rainedrop-roleplay

Alright, alright... We won't worry about all that...

*"Right now" is the unspoken end to that sentence. He won't focus on that right now, he's dropping the subject. But he's not going to forget this. It's too close to home. His mind is already made up.*

....You know, I've never actually seen snow before. I'd been told what it would be like, but this is my first time actually seeing it myself.

limitless-liminals

Kiki couldn’t help but snicker *Snow is white, silly! This is similar but it’s not snow.*

She booped your nose, fading back to a pristine white. This time, she seemed much more solid than before even. It was like— Kiki, hold on, Kiki.

*:3*

I still don’t know how you speak those faces.

rainedrop-roleplay

Well what the fuck is this shit then??? It melted! Did I almost fuckin' drown in.. frozen sparkling water?? Fucking glitter?

limitless-liminals

*Well, it’s—*

Confidential.

*Kill joy.*

She huffed and flipped off the air, form only solidifying more. The warmth remained thankfully. Kiki giggled. Yeah, okay, let’s not listen to what I’ve told you in the past. Fuck you too then.

rainedrop-roleplay

Oh, so I gotta be nice, but you can flip them off?

*He postures like he's annoyed, but his tone is clearly just amused.*

limitless-liminals

*I know them better than you do!* she giggled.

*Just..holddddd onnnnn, I have a surprise. I want—*

Everything else was cut off by a blinding light and cartoony twinkling noise. It was like getting flashbanged. Holy shit, Kiki, are you trying to blind him?

rainedrop-roleplay

*Woah, that rain sure is coming down hard! Get it because— wha’dya say? Oh! Sorry, sorry, okay, ahem. I’ll restart. Ignore this, sorry. My friend is on lunch break.*

*The rain is coming down hard tonight, thunder accenting the downpour. Tell me, Mr.Merlot, what are you up to tonight?*

@limitless-liminals

....The hell's it look like? 'M drunk in the damn rain.

*He's sitting just outside the main Waylay doors, with a bottle of wine, absolutely drenched. He takes a long sip from what's left in the bottle, before it hits him that he just... heard...? and spoke to somebody.*

...Wait what. The fuck?

*He stands up and looks around. With nobody in sight, he squints up into the rain.*

I am nowhere near fucked up enough to hallucinate shit.... ????

limitless-liminals

*I forgot my voice comes across differently than the other narrator. This mayyyyy be an issue. She needs to get back here soon…*

*Okay, Merlot, I need you to pretend that I’m just in your head in the way your thoughts are! Still talk to me though because it’s lonely otherwise but I’m meant to be here. Got it? Got it. Amazing, great, moving on.*

*Why are you drunk tonight?*

rainedrop-roleplay

How'd you get in there. Nobody's s'posed to get in there since-

..Ah whatever. Fuck it.

*He sits back down, still talking aloud.*

....Not a whole lot else to do. Ro has th'kids, don't need me hanging around constantly.

..Gah, that makes me sound fuckin' married or divorced some shit...

I got nothing, alright? 'Cept bein' in my own head. And that shit sucks. So, the fuck are you doin' in there tonight?

limitless-liminals

*Thats a little secret for later. C’mon, don’t try to spoil the surprise, killjoy. You’ll find out later just hold your horses.*

*We can talk about me and I’d love to, but just not— What do you mean I can’t talk about myself? I want to— fine, fine, okay…Please, ask me questions about myse— How on Earth did you hear that?*

*God, okay, that’s annoying. Anyhow, I may have to stay in your head for awhile, just a warning.*

rainedrop-roleplay

Yeah, what do you mean she can't talk about- shit is it she? Sherself- him- It- themself??

*Merlot glares up at the rain, eagerly and somewhat drunkenly latching onto the idea of someone to be pissed at. How dare the background person he can't hear boss around his new head voice who he's not sure the gender situation of and is a bit too drunk to ask about it without stumbling around?*

Bitch??

limitless-liminals

*Use whatever pronouns you’d like. It makes no difference to me since I don’t really get your folks whole gender situation going on. Dont confuse me for those people who have a stick up their ass though. I don’t get it but I also don’t care to be judgy.*

*But let’s uh…let’s ignore that other fella with us. They aren’t part of the story.*

rainedrop-roleplay

..Huh, ok..

...Anyways, the fuck are you doin' in my head?

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see! How do you feel about going for a walk?*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Eh. why not.

*He stands up again, and starts wandering off, following the wall of the Waylay building into the direction of the woods.*

limitless-liminals

*Soooooo, how’dya die? Your file doesn’t really specify.*

The walls of the Waylay are marked by an unusually amount of moss. The longer you travel, the darker the green hue becomes and the denser the plant is. Frigid rain patters against you back as one cloud, hanging lower than the rest, follows you.

*Oh, you’re back from your lunch break!*

rainedrop-roleplay

...That's none of your damn business.

*He peels some moss off the wall, rolling and squishing it into a ball between his hands while he walks.*

limitless-liminals

*It is! I wanna know.*

Kiki.

*What? It’s a good question! We need to tell the higher ups to stop leaving out important information.*

Kiki.

*Fine, fine. I’m sorry, Mr. Merlot.*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Eh. it's fine.

*He slows down a little to look over his shoulder, squinting up at the cloud that seems to be following.*

....Are you the weird cloud?

limitless-liminals

*I wouldn’t call myself a weird cloud but yeah, I’m the cloud!*

The cloud did a little circle in the air. Frankly, I don’t like how overt she’s being but who am I to complain?

*You just think we shouldn’t have any personality ever with our job.*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Huh. sup?

*He waves at the cloud.*

limitless-liminals

The cloud extended a ‘limb’ that waved before it came down closer and closer- KIKI.

*Keep talking!*

Kiki came down to the ground next to you, hovering right in front of you. Its pure white color stood out against the grey, stormy clouds.

*Hi! Hello!*

rainedrop-roleplay

Uh, hi.

*He waves, still competely unphased by all of this. Maybe it's just because he's a bit drunk, or maybe he's just Like That. After a second, he offers Kiki the wadded up ball of moss. That one's definitely from the drunk part, that's a drunk gift.*

limitless-liminals

Kiki giggled and with a ‘hand’ formed from clouds, she took the moss ball and patted him on the head. Oddly, there was substance to it and it felt how a kid might imagine a cloud would, like a soft pillow.

*Thank you for the amazing gift!* she chirped, genuine.

Kiki took the ball and tossed it into her mouth in a motion that can only be assumed as eating it. Afterwards, she hummed in delight.

rainedrop-roleplay

Uh, you're welcome..

*He cracks a crooked smile, then starts walking again.*

...So, what are we doin'?

limitless-liminals

*C’mon, you don’t want to ruin the surprise!*

Kiki began a path into the woods, a portion that seemed unfamiliar no matter how much he had explored here. Dense pine trees decorated the rocky trail. Little light penetrated the forest despite the lack of a thick canopy.

*you’ll seeeeee~*

rainedrop-roleplay

Fiiine..

*He shrugs and keeps walking. Aside from squinting at the unusual darkness, he's not as bothered as he should be by the strange unfamiliarity of the area. Rather than get tense and suspicious, he starts quietly humming a tune.*

limitless-liminals

The cloud circled around him routinely, which was convenient considering the tiny amount of luminosity it had. She occasionally obstructed his vision but not enough to be anything more than a slight annoyance.

*Im not annoying!*

You going in front of people’s eyes is though.

*…Oopsies! Sorry, Mr!*

The deeper you went the less her light helped you. It only got darker and darker until you could hardly see a foot in front of you. A few times, you nearly stumbled into a pine tree of hit your foot on a giant rock.

rainedrop-roleplay

Ah fuckin- Hey, I can't fuckin' see shit in here!

*He complains after nearly tripping for a 3rd time.*

Shoulda died with a damn flashlight on me...

limitless-liminals

*I can see perfectly fine!*

The air brought goosebumps on your skin, abruptly introducing you to a frozen breath that sent shivers down your spine. Breathing chilled your throat like ice would and it only lingered in your chest.

The path continued on then

Dark.

No light from Kiki and nor natural sunlight

But a primal need to keep moving forward persisted.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot gets... quiet suddenly. He slows to a halt, only to breathe deep and further take in the cold.

The cold is... right. Somewhere cold is where he had been going, before he was stopped in his tracks. Before he was killed. Before he was Waylaid. He starts to move again, a slow walk building up into a desperate sprint. It doesn't matter that he can't see where he's going, it doesn't matter how many times he might crash into a tree or trip and fall and have to get back up, he keeps running with all he has.

Because this has to be it. This is where he needs to be. It's not too late afterall.

He can still make things right.*

limitless-liminals

*HEY, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?*

You crash into several pine trees and snow(?) lands on your skin. It melts and chilling liquid dribbles down your shirt and into your hair. Pine needles scrape your skin much deeper than they should and you trip over rocks countless times.

Personally, I’m confused by this new found drive as well but if you wish to quicken the process, who am I to judge?

In the distance is a source of light, nearly blinding like the sun. It stings your cornea to gaze for too long but it highlights the outline of the trees.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Snow. Snow and trees. This is the place, it has to be. Merlot flinches and shields his eyes against the light, but he keeps going. The near empty wine bottle is left behind in the dark, forgotten. No longer needed.*

I have to get there!-

*Behind the arm shielding his face, Merlot's expression is set in fierce determination. There's a fire behind his eyes, reignited.*

limitless-liminals

*Suit yourself!*

What is your objective here?

Each footstep seems to take you no where. No where closer to the light and it was like running in a treadmill.

rainedrop-roleplay

Damn it!

*He keeps running, desperation taking determination's place. He's so close, he can't fail again.*

I have to- I have to get there, I have to find It- so I can go back and-

And fucking kill that bastard!!

limitless-liminals

What is it? Who are you killing?

The treadmill-like quality never stopped. He wasn’t running into anything but the frigid temperatures persisted.

*Da— Narrator..?*

Quit it.

rainedrop-roleplay

*It doesn't matter to him that he's not getting any closer. He's sure he HAS to at some point. So he keeps running. And running. Merlot can't help slowing down as exhaustion seeps it's way into his bones, but he doesn't stop. The cold and the pine trees and the snow(?) have unlocked some borderline feral quality within him.*

The.. the Deathless.

When I... am Deathless.. I can kill him- The fucker who killed me!

*Running gradually slows to a jog, then to a walk. Even as his legs are shaking, threatening to give out, and each breath is coming as a harsh gasp, Merlot forces himself forwards. He'll go until he collapses.*

limitless-liminals

Mr. Merlot, I need you to understand that we can help you. Kiki and I have powers beyond what we’ve shown and our connections are wide. Our resources are even grander.

Sit down. Time is paused and running won’t bring you anywhere but closer to exhaustion. The ‘fucker who killed you’ can’t go anywhere either.

In order for us to help, you have to make a semblance of sense. Explain from the beginning what happened.

rainedrop-roleplay

.....from the begining, huh?

*He stops, but for several minutes just, stands in silence. Eventually, he turns to the left a little and slowly sits down, slumping forward a little.*

....

.

.

....Once upon a time, I had a city. I didn't just run it, it was mine. I built it up from the tiny shithole it started as. Turned it into something worth living in. And then I... lost someone. It... left me in a weird fucking haze. Suddenly nothing mattered. So this bastard, August, rose to power right under my fucking nose. Right in front of my face. I should've cared, should have fucking done something, but I didn't. Nothing mattered until...

Until I met his kid.

The piece of shit uses him as a fucking... executioner. Child soldier. Treats him worse than an object. By the time I figured out what was going on, I'd become... this.

*He gestures vaguely at himself.*

Too fucking old and frail and alone to do shit against this young bastard and his... arsenal of zealots and supernatural shit. So I made a little deal with.. something. Learned the answer to my problem.

"Go north, to the coldest corner of the world, and die in the presence of the Deathless. Become it."

....Except I never made it out of the fucking city. August got wind of the fact I was packing up to leave. I did fight back, but it wasn't enough. It was never going to be enough. Not with me like this.

I promised that kid I'd kill the fucker. That I'd give him a normal life...

I failed.

limitless-liminals

Oh…Oh, I’m so sorry…That wasn’t what I was expecting to hear. We’ll see what we can do for you, okay? We know your universe number so we’ll see what we can gather.

*A kid doesn’t deserve that…*

The cloud appeared again and wrapped around you, unnaturally warm. It glowed like a night light, a comforting anchor in this dark abyss.

*You didn’t either. We’ll get you there, okay?*

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot sits frozen, a bit dumbfounded at first. Is this real? Can these voices really help the way they say they can, can they be trusted?... What's the catch going to be? Not that it would matter. He'd do anything to go back and make things right.*

....Okay.

*He reaches up, hugging the cloud back if he can.*

limitless-liminals

Your hands sunk into the cloud a tad as if you were hugging a pillow. She only unwound herself once you let go and even then, she was a tad hesitant.

Unlike before, she didn’t disappear. No, she illuminated the way for you towards the blinding light. The trees were denser and path rockier, less worn down by human travel. Pine needles littered the way alongside the chilly pink, glittery powder decorating the floor and trees.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He gives the cloud a little pat after letting go.*

...Thanks.

*Then he turns and starts heading towards the light again, still determined, but more calm and measured this time.*

limitless-liminals

*Of course!*

The temperature gets lower and lower until you’re shivering and your teeth are clattering. Each step is laborious with deeper and deeper powder crunching beneath your feet. The cloud, now much warmer than before, aids you significantly in ensuring a proper body temperature.

*We’re almost there.*

The light is blinding and only a few feet away. Now, it’s impossible to see due to an abundance of light rather than a lack of it. Your eyes brim with tears around the edges, attempting to compensate.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot wraps his arms tight around himself in response to the increasing cold. As the light becomes fully blinding, he shuts his eyes tight, trusting the welcome warmth of the cloud to keep guiding him in the right direction through it.*

Fuckin' hell...

limitless-liminals

Brighter.

Brighter.

Brightest.

Beckoning him in like an anglerfish’s light. Welcoming into its maw. A twisting sensation in your gut that something is wrong before it’s

Gone.

Gone like how the light disappeared

Gone like how the twisting in your gut unraveled

Gone like how your life faded away from you.

What awaited on the other side was an old village decorated with cobblestone homes. The same snow littered the roof tops alongside the same pungent cold. Smoke billowed from the chimneys, likely an attempt to stay warm.

A well sat in the center of the town, bucket lowered down inside of it. The same moss decorated the cracking stone while the rest of it remained in pristine condition.

The paths were covered with fresh footprints marking the snow(?). They led from home to home with the steps further down going to larger facilities. It was difficult to see through the thick on slaughter of powder but you could make out the shape of them at the very least.

No one walked outside nor was there any noise, just the snow storm brushing wind against your ear and snow occasionally falling off rooftops in chunks.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot tenses up, even after the unsettling feeling fades...It was there. And it's not an unfamiliar feeling. He slowly opens his eyes to a squint once the light is gone, then rapidly blinks them open the rest of the way.*

....It's... just like it's supposed to be...

*Despite his better instincts, the sight of what appears to be one of the landmarks he was supposed to keep an eye out for on the journey he never started, melts the majority of his remaining caution and suspicion like butter on a frying pan.

He walks up to the front door of the nearest cabin, and knocks.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing. No reply, no movement behind the door, nada.

The cloud hovered over your shoulder, emitting the same warmth as before. She hummed a tune and— Kiki, seriously, get out of there.

*Nope!*

Fine.

rainedrop-roleplay

*With no one answering, he tries opening the door, hoping it'll be unlocked and there'll be something inside to tell him more precisely where he is.*

limitless-liminals

The handle clicked open.

…Do you wish to proceed?

rainedrop-roleplay

*...He pauses.*

Why do I feel like this might be a bad idea....

*Despite his clear hesitation, he proceeds inside.*

limitless-liminals

With one more shove open and much resistance came snow crashing down with the force of a bunk bed falling on top of you.

It came for you.

It piled on top of you.

It buried itself around you.

The pink powder forced itself into your nostrils and maw, creating plugs where any oxygen may try to get it. It threatened to freeze the flesh the longer it lingered. The meat tingled and became numb, fighting to keep itself warm enough. Your fingertips and ears nipped with frostbite in a similar fashion.

Darkness filled every attempt to see, Kiki’s light doing little for you. Speaking of her, it was impossible to say if she got crashed into as well.

Kiki..?

.

.

.

Ah, I suppose she did.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot's immediate reaction is to try and flail, then start frantically wiping at his face with his sleeves while trying to spit and force air out of his nose, like when you accidentally swallow a bug, or one flies into your nostril, just with more force and urgency.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, what the hell is this? He didn't come this far just to die a second death from suffocation.

He starts to fumble frantically for something in one of his pockets. It's snow(?), surely it doesn't like fire? After a few shaky striking attempts, made even harder with cold fingertips, Merlot's flip lighter blinks to life near his face.*

limitless-liminals

There was a decent bit of leeway where your limbs could move. Where there was a gap was only filled in by more of the loose powder. That included the tiny amount of time you were able to free your nose as it filled back up again, adding the need to sneeze. So long as your mouth remained shut, that was free though.

The light struggled to light.

One spark.

Two spark.

Three spark.

Finally, it was lit and it began to melt. Liquid hit your face, now trying to cut off air through drowning it seemed. At least it was easier to breathe now.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot drags his free hand up to his face, pressing his palm flat against his mouth. Then he cups it, creating an air pocket just long enough to take a deep breath before any of the power and liquid can slip between his fingers.

Holding his breath now, he moves his hand away and starts trying to dig an opening in the snow(?) in front of him. He's sure it's bound to be easier to dig and melt out the side than try to climb up and probably keep sinking. He keeps his head angled down, so any liquid melting from above can only hit the back of his head and flow down the back of his neck.*

limitless-liminals

The tunnel seems endless and there’s no sign of Kiki along the way. There wasn’t a single pip or holler nor shine or glimmer.

It’s the same routine for god knows how long: move powder out of the way and keep going.

But why do you fight it? It’s hard to move your limbs now and you’re beginning to feel warm, oh, so very warm, like a hug from your grandma. The force on you is like a weight blanket lulling you to sleep. It’s quite comfortable, is it not?

rainedrop-roleplay

*Worry for Kiki bristles in the back of his mind, but there's nothing he can do without getting himself out first. He can't risk trying to call out when this stuff almost seems to have a mind of it's own and wants him dead.

A hug from his grandma?? Oh now that's just pissed him off, he doesn't have one of those, fuck you, fuck this warmth, fuck this powder, fucking bitch-

His thoughts are a continuous stream of angry swears as he tries a different approach, digging away at the powder above him and trying to climb up.*

Warm. Your body only grew warmer and it took a second do your to comprehend if up was truly up. Maybe, you weren’t going to the side at all? Which way was where?

Before you could doubt for much longer, light began to peak through the powder. Liquid was drenched all over you and snow(?) clung but there was light. There was always light at the end of the tunnel.

Proceed?

[yes] [no]

It’s so warm.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot pauses for just a moment to do the hand-air-pocket trick again, taking another deep breath and holding it. His lungs are still burning, he really needs a break to breathe properly, but at least he's still not suffocating.

[yes]

He proceeds, digging his way towards the light as fast as he can manage.*

limitless-liminals

It’s so hot. The heat is burning your skin the closer to crawl to the light. You could blame it on the lighter, sure, but it shouldn’t be your entire form.

One tiny layer of powder remains…but there’s finally a peep deeper within.

*HELP!*

It was like a crying baby locked inside a car on a sweltering afternoon…well…if a baby could speak. I’d imagine the tone would sound quite similar, high-pitched and loud while muffled by the car’s metal.

Proceed to the surface? Do you wish to be selfish?

[Yes]

[No]

rainedrop-roleplay

*He freezes in place. Fuck, fuck can a cloud suffocate? Surely not, but she is calling for help.. Merlot cups his hand over his mouth once more, coughing and gasping a couple times before taking a deep breath again. Being a chronic smoker is REALLY not helping here.

He looks at the light a moment longer. Then he turns away from it, beginning to dig towards where he heard the cry for help.

[no]

He caused the avalanche, even though it was an accident. He can't just leave her down there.*

limitless-liminals

The light faded away as you dug deeper and deeper. You could hardly feel your limbs anymore. If you didn’t know better, you might assume they weren’t there.

*MERLOT? MERLOT, WHERE ARE YOU?*

She didn’t sound too far away and fortunately, you had a clear direction. It meant diving straight down though.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot curses inwardly, and covers his mouth one more time to yell, hoping it won't be too muffled to carry.*

I'M- *cough COUGH* HERE- ABOVE YOU- *COUHOUGH* JUST HOLD-

*He takes a breath and holds it before he can get trapped in a coughing fit, then flips the lighter closed so he can use both hands to dig. Also to avoid accidentally burning Kiki when he's not sure where precisely she is under the mess of powder.

It's a struggle to keep moving his limbs when he can barely feel them, but it's still not as bad as trying to stand with a bullet through both kneecaps. He dives down.*

limitless-liminals

After two feet of digging, you feel the same pillow-life consistency of Kiki’s body. The light within her is dying, flickering like a light bulb out of power.

*Merlot!*

The light intensifies slightly and she climbs closer to you. She wraps around your body with ease, apparently hitching a ride. At the very least, her warmth soothed some of the numbness and her light aided in guiding the way.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Once she wraps around him, Merlot turns and starts to dig back the way he came. He won't bring the lighter back out unless the lack of it really impedes his progress more than just digging with one arm would. He needs to get them both out now, before the dizzyness from poor oxygen gets much worse.

It's no longer about getting himself out. This small fluffy being is clinging to him, depending on him.

He claws at the snow(?) with both hands like a dog, only one goal in mind.

Get out.

Get out.

GET OUT.*

limitless-liminals

And out you popped, oxygen finally entering your lungs with ease. The height of the pile left you able to climb on the roof if you so pleased, which also had its own layer of powder on it.

Kiki’s body expanded and shrank with each desperate inhale and exhale. With the sunlight, you could now see her previously pristine white had shifted into a murky grey. Her form twisted around your body tighter, clinging while she let out a sound akin to a whimpering dog.

rainedrop-roleplay

*After expelling the powder from his nose, Merlot takes a couple minutes to just hack and cough and gasp for air. When darkness is no longer clinging to the corners of his vision, and he doesn't feel like he might fall over from dizzyness, he does climb onto the roof, though not before brushing as much of the powder off to the side as he can.

Once he's safely onto the solid surface, he looks down at Kiki.*

..hey... you alright?

limitless-liminals

She let out another whine, clinging tighter now. Kiki’s breathing never calmed down, unlike your own. She shook what you could assume to be her head.

*Scary. Couldn’t move. No, no, no, don’t like. Don’t like.*

rainedrop-roleplay

*His normally rough tone quickly softens.*

Shit, hey, hey hey hey, it's ok, it's ok now. We're out..

*He wraps his arms around her, as best as he can while she's wrapped around him.*

I'm.. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't get you out sooner...

limitless-liminals

Her grey color only darkens as water begins to drip, much like a rain cloud would. Kiki’s breathing intensified into short choppy—oh, poor thing…Take care of her for me..

Her head buried into the crook of your neck, words coming out rushed.

*’sokayscaryIdontnonononoImnktmeanttobenoImsorryImsorryshouldnthavehadto*

rainedrop-roleplay

*He hugs her tighter, raising one hand to pat the back of her head.*

Shh, hey.. That shit falling on us was my fault, I'm the one that disturbed the fuckin' building.. And I'm not letting that happen again, okay?

limitless-liminals

She nodded into your neck, bristling some more rain off of her. It made no difference when you were already drenched though but at the very least, it washed off some of the glitter.

*Mhm, okay, okay, that’s okay. I shouldn’t-*

She paused and shook her head, her form practically melting into you as her anchor of comfort. Her breathing stayed short and each inhale was akin to a wheeze.

*Im sorry. I shouldn’t have brokentherulesandIshouldntbehereImsosorryIdidntmeantothisispunishmentImsosorry.*

rainedrop-roleplay

Punishment for what? I don't know what "rules" you broke, but FUCK the rules. You've done nothin' wrong. And fuck whoever wants to "punish" you. I'll fuckin' shoot them.

limitless-liminals

She shook head, tears increasing.

*Boss, knows. Always knows. I shouldn’t be here. I’m not a character ImnotIshouldntbe. Foolish dreams.*

Oh, Kiki…Hun, you can always come back up. You don’t have to be down there. Down there is scary, I understand. It’s why I’m not down there.

She let out another whiny noise.

rainedrop-roleplay

Not a... "character?"

"He's not a person, he's not even really human. Just a thing. Don't be silly, C-"

*Merlot's grip on her tightens a bit. Not enough to hurt, just protective. Maybe even a bit possesive.*

..Kiki? You listen to me, alright? You're whatever you want to be, not what some other fucker tells you. You are a person and no piece of shit can make that less true. They can fuckin' try, but it doesn't change the facts.

*He sighs*

You don't... you don't have to believe me right away, either.... If you want to go back to wherever "up" is, if that's safe... It's alright. I get it. This is different and it's scary... But only if you want to. You don't have to do shit. And if you want to stay here, I promise, I'll do every fucking thing I can to keep you safe.

limitless-liminals

Her form turned less solid, melting into a mess if condensation in his hold. Feeling that she was repetitively shaking her head was a difficult task. Her own hold tightened but it didn’t feel that way due to the lack of solidification.

*Wrong, no, no. Mmmmmmm, go home. This isn’t hommmmme. Scary. Bad. Scary bad place.*

Her mind was too overrun by fear and terror to respond in any amount of substance. If you’d like, I can take her off your hands?

rainedrop-roleplay

No. Not until she calms down and decides what she wants..

*He practically snarls at the other voice. Then he starts to slowly maneuver into a sitting position, doing his best to bring Kiki's vaguely noncoporeal form with him. His voice softens again, volume lowered to a half whisper.*

hey, hey we're just gonna sit down for a minute, ok? You're safe, it's ok. Just take some deep breaths, try to calm down... I'm not going anywhere. We'll just, sit right here and you can cry it all out.. You can.. you can go home if you want, just calm down.. I'm gonna sit right here as long as you need.

limitless-liminals

Alright, understood. I just thought that her home might help her. Y’know, familiar locations and all of that.

*I shouldn’t feel like this. I’m sorry. These feelings aren’t mean for me and—* she sniffled, *—I’ll be calm. I’ll be calm soon. It’s okay. I’m okay. I can choose.*

But her breathing didn’t calm and she only continued to melt.

rainedrop-roleplay

No, no no, don't need to apologize. There's not a damn thing wrong with having your feelings. They'll pass on their own, you just calm when you're ready, I don't have anywhere to be right now. Doesn't have to be soon. Okay?

*After a moment, he sighs, then looks up at the sky*

....If she goes home now, can she still come back if she wants to later?

limitless-liminals

She whined and clung on tighter, practically liquid. Kiki was warm, a gracious thing in this frigid temperature. Her color had developed from pristine white to nearly black.

*Wrong. It’s really really really wrong and I should’ve and wrong and bad and I’m sorry and it shouldn’t have happened and I shouldn’t be here.*

To answer your question, I won’t stop her. She is her own person. Other people may though.

rainedrop-roleplay

Fuck... ...Haddie would know what the hell to do here...

....Kiki? What do you want, right now? Do you think you can tell me? Don't worry about what's right or wrong. What do you think might make you feel better?

limitless-liminals

She shook her head repeatedly, water smearing under his chin. Kiki was basically only liquid that was clinging to his clothes and skin now in one flat layer. He couldn’t see her breathing but he could hear every pant.

*Scared. I don’t know. I’m sorry, I don’t know. I don’t know. Never felt like this.*

…Kiki, let’s just get you home.

*IdontknowIdontknowIdontknowIdontknow.*

rainedrop-roleplay

It's ok, it's ok, you don't have to know right now... We'll just sit here..

*Merlot's own breath is starting to pick back up again, just a little. He's keeping it under control so as to not freak her out further, but fuck. Is she dying? What if she just keeps going until she doesn't exist anymore? Or is this just normal for her, sort of like it was for-*

.....What if I just, talk about something, huh?.. You wanna hear more about where I come from?... give you something else to focus on..

limitless-liminals

*Mhm, yes, please. That’d be nice.*

At the very least, she wasn’t melting anymore and she didn’t seem to notice his own panic. If she did, it didn’t cause any reaction.

rainedrop-roleplay

....The city I come from, Sulffergette, it rains a whole lot. Probably more than what's... normal, I guess. You're real lucky to get 3 dry days in a row, 5 is wild. Never once saw a complete week without it pouring. Not in 80 fuckin' years. So this... Sittin' on a roof talking, drenched in the rain, it's almost nostalgic. Homelike. 'Cept this time I'm also talkin' to the rain, heh..

...And the city sits down in a fuckin'.. bowl thing in the land. So, we've got this big drainage system to keep the place from flooding. It's like a labyrinth of huge fucking pipes down below the streets. And at some point... people started living down there. Building walkways and docks and shit. Sort of an undercity now. There's... a certain charm to both.

*Merlot's tone noticeably starts to shift the more he talks about his home. Worry and apprehension fade in the face of fondness and pride. There's a definite sparkle returning to his eyes.*

Up above, everything's dark alleys and neon lights. There's color everywhere. Reflected off the full glass windows, in the layer of water that nearly always covers the ground. Even the wet fuckin' trash looks pretty at night when it catches pieces of the stars and the street signs. And then there's the street art. You pass an old brick building or go down to the warehouses, someone'll have tagged it with graffiti, or hand painted some kinda mural. It's... beautiful.

Below is a lot different. It's where people go to get away from other people, or do some things... on the shadier side. There's a black market. A band of necromancers. Been waiting on those fuckers to bring me back, but at this point I don't think they're- Ugh, anyways. The undercity's more... bland and grungy compared to above, but I still like it. You take a boat down the right drainage tunnel, and you'll find some fuckin' guy who won't hold a damn second of conversation to save his life, but will trade you the best fried mushrooms you ever had.

....I really miss it.

limitless-liminals

As she listened, her breathing gradually began to slow. Her color, once dark grey and melting, formed into a more solid, light grey cloud. Where there once was worried thoughts was replaced by her images.

With her imagination came mini clouds that split from her body that were shaped to be what he described: Pipes and trash and graffiti colored into buildings. The colors were like watercolor, likely not as vibrant as what he had described, but they got the point across. Mini sculpted people roamed the streets, only becoming more detailed as she calmed down.

*I’d wanna go there too…maybe we could in the future…?*

Kiki, you won’t be able to…

*…*

She began to melt slightly once more.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He marvels at the mini clouds and the pictures they form, an actual grin starts to form on his face, and a laugh starts to build in his throat, but both are cut off at the narrator's words. He glares up at the sky.*

Hey, shut the fuck up!

*Then he looks back down at Kiki, his gentle tone of voice returning right away.*

Ignore that shit. I'll find some way to show it to you, I learned a LONG time ago there's no such fuckin' thing as "impossible."

First thing you should see in Sulffergette is the view from a 50th floor high rise. You get high up enough, the streets look like a galaxy. And then we can go down and get ramen.

limitless-liminals

Kiki giggled for a second, color lightening once more. A cloud booped Merlot’s nose before fading into nothing.

*Be nice! I know I won’t actually be able to leave. I just like to dream sometimes. Maybe, I could try to recreate it later.*

She sighed and began detailing the sculpture once more.

rainedrop-roleplay

Yeah well, a certain someone should be nice about your dreams, then...

I meant what I said though. Nothin's impossible.

limitless-liminals

Merlot, as much as I appreciate your intent, you’re doing more harm than good. For her and I, we both can’t leave our own universe other than for the sake of tasks. Both of us are very limited. That’s not me being rude, just me being realistic. False hope hurts.

…Kiki’s color began to darken and sculpture began to lose detail once more…Kiki, Im not trying to hurt you…we both know this.

*I know…*

She moves closer to you.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He looks up again, hugging Kiki a little tighter.*

Is it a "you fall apart if you're outside of your dimension for too long" sorta thing, or is it a "I need to shoot god" sorta thing? Because I'll fuckin' do it.

*He's dead (badum-tss) serious. This man WILL shoot god or whatever equivalent in the face for both of you.*

limitless-liminals

*Its boss…please don’t do anything…*

The powder continued to hit your back but Kiki’s tears dripping from the cloud like rain only added to the moisture. She shook her head and let out a tiny whine of distress, sounding much like wind.

But no, you shouldn’t. There won’t be much success there. This is the way it’s been since ewe were both born.

rainedrop-roleplay

Alright, alright... We won't worry about all that...

*"Right now" is the unspoken end to that sentence. He won't focus on that right now, he's dropping the subject. But he's not going to forget this. It's too close to home. His mind is already made up.*

....You know, I've never actually seen snow before. I'd been told what it would be like, but this is my first time actually seeing it myself.

limitless-liminals

Kiki couldn’t help but snicker *Snow is white, silly! This is similar but it’s not snow.*

She booped your nose, fading back to a pristine white. This time, she seemed much more solid than before even. It was like— Kiki, hold on, Kiki.

*:3*

I still don’t know how you speak those faces.

rainedrop-roleplay

Well what the fuck is this shit then??? It melted! Did I almost fuckin' drown in.. frozen sparkling water?? Fucking glitter?

limitless-liminals

*Well, it’s—*

Confidential.

*Kill joy.*

She huffed and flipped off the air, form only solidifying more. The warmth remained thankfully. Kiki giggled. Yeah, okay, let’s not listen to what I’ve told you in the past. Fuck you too then.

this-rp-blog-does-not-exist

Yikes, that looks like quite a bad storm cloud overhead. Good thing you’ll have to comfort of the Waylay to shield you from the rain. Tell me, what are you up to this stormy night, Winnie?

@limitless-liminals

Winnie was currently rooting through the guts of a toaster she was dismantling. Or at least trying to.

The toast with Ro had been so good and it seemed simple to make! Cutting bread evenly was hard though,and knowing how long to cook it was apparently harder. So now she was attempting to free the uneven brick of charcoal she had made from the toast slot.

It was not going very well.

limitless-liminals

*Oh! It looks like you could use some help with that…*

The sound of ruffling paper echoed in your mind.

*…Winnie! Maybe, try putting a fork into it or something? That way you can stab it and drag it out. Hmm, either that or grab a new toaster and restart? Let’s check on it multiple times this time though so you can get the ideal toast.*

this-rp-blog-does-not-exist

Winnie looks around a bit confused and slowly reaches to grab a fork before reconsidering. She scrunches her nose, thinking hard, but quickly moves over to her text to speech device.

“Hello? Is this magic? Can you hear me? Who are you?”

limitless-liminals

*My name is Kiki! The fella with me is—*

Narrator. You can call me Narrator if you need to refer to me.

*…Right. Okay, so, I also want you to grab peanut butter too because that’s super yummy. Oh! You should make an extra slice of toast so I can have one.*

Kiki.

*What?*

You know what.

*…Killjoy*

this-rp-blog-does-not-exist

Winnie looks at the half dismantled toaster sitting infront of her before looking back around at the room around her. Still empty.

“Where are you? This is so weird.”

She slowly gets up out of her wheelchair, limping over to the pantry, grabbing a knife on the way. Just in case.

Then she finds a jar that says peanut butter on it and the loaf of bread she had used earlier. Pausing in the pantry Winnie looks around, waiting for any further commentary.

limitless-liminals

We are somewhere that is no concern to your safety. You are okay.

*…*

Sorry for my co-worker’s rude introduction—

*That was a nice introduction! I want a sandwich.*

We have sandwiches here.

*Too bad. They suck and the bread tastes weird.*

this-rp-blog-does-not-exist

Getting back over to her chair and the dismantled toaster with her pantry spoils she only has more questions.

“If you aren’t even here then why am I getting you food?”

limitless-liminals

*Because you will be—*

—Let’s just move on, shall we? How do you feel about going on a stroll, hm? It’ll be easier to think outside.

this-rp-blog-does-not-exist

“Yea sure. But I’m bringing the knife. Is this somewhere I can get to in my wheelchair or am I getting my walking practice for the day? If I walk it’s going to be slow as hell.”

limitless-liminals

Feel free to bring the knife but that depends, is outdoors in the Waylay wheelchair accessible? If not, I’m always welcome to explore the Waylay’s indoors finally.

this-rp-blog-does-not-exist

“I’ve never been outside. I don’t know what’s out there.“

Winnie is starting to hate these weird brain messages. They’re disorienting.

“You aren’t even in The Waylay? If you want to come in you should just do it.”

Hopefully she wasn’t inviting vampires in. But she didn’t remember any stories where vampires had telepathy.

limitless-liminals

I don’t think some people would be quite fond of that idea.

*I would be!*

I know. I’m not talking about you.

There’s no time like the present though, no? I always like the outdoors.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Woah, that rain sure is coming down hard! Get it because— wha’dya say? Oh! Sorry, sorry, okay, ahem. I’ll restart. Ignore this, sorry. My friend is on lunch break.*

*The rain is coming down hard tonight, thunder accenting the downpour. Tell me, Mr.Merlot, what are you up to tonight?*

@limitless-liminals

....The hell's it look like? 'M drunk in the damn rain.

*He's sitting just outside the main Waylay doors, with a bottle of wine, absolutely drenched. He takes a long sip from what's left in the bottle, before it hits him that he just... heard...? and spoke to somebody.*

...Wait what. The fuck?

*He stands up and looks around. With nobody in sight, he squints up into the rain.*

I am nowhere near fucked up enough to hallucinate shit.... ????

limitless-liminals

*I forgot my voice comes across differently than the other narrator. This mayyyyy be an issue. She needs to get back here soon…*

*Okay, Merlot, I need you to pretend that I’m just in your head in the way your thoughts are! Still talk to me though because it’s lonely otherwise but I’m meant to be here. Got it? Got it. Amazing, great, moving on.*

*Why are you drunk tonight?*

rainedrop-roleplay

How'd you get in there. Nobody's s'posed to get in there since-

..Ah whatever. Fuck it.

*He sits back down, still talking aloud.*

....Not a whole lot else to do. Ro has th'kids, don't need me hanging around constantly.

..Gah, that makes me sound fuckin' married or divorced some shit...

I got nothing, alright? 'Cept bein' in my own head. And that shit sucks. So, the fuck are you doin' in there tonight?

limitless-liminals

*Thats a little secret for later. C’mon, don’t try to spoil the surprise, killjoy. You’ll find out later just hold your horses.*

*We can talk about me and I’d love to, but just not— What do you mean I can’t talk about myself? I want to— fine, fine, okay…Please, ask me questions about myse— How on Earth did you hear that?*

*God, okay, that’s annoying. Anyhow, I may have to stay in your head for awhile, just a warning.*

rainedrop-roleplay

Yeah, what do you mean she can't talk about- shit is it she? Sherself- him- It- themself??

*Merlot glares up at the rain, eagerly and somewhat drunkenly latching onto the idea of someone to be pissed at. How dare the background person he can't hear boss around his new head voice who he's not sure the gender situation of and is a bit too drunk to ask about it without stumbling around?*

Bitch??

limitless-liminals

*Use whatever pronouns you’d like. It makes no difference to me since I don’t really get your folks whole gender situation going on. Dont confuse me for those people who have a stick up their ass though. I don’t get it but I also don’t care to be judgy.*

*But let’s uh…let’s ignore that other fella with us. They aren’t part of the story.*

rainedrop-roleplay

..Huh, ok..

...Anyways, the fuck are you doin' in my head?

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see! How do you feel about going for a walk?*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Eh. why not.

*He stands up again, and starts wandering off, following the wall of the Waylay building into the direction of the woods.*

limitless-liminals

*Soooooo, how’dya die? Your file doesn’t really specify.*

The walls of the Waylay are marked by an unusually amount of moss. The longer you travel, the darker the green hue becomes and the denser the plant is. Frigid rain patters against you back as one cloud, hanging lower than the rest, follows you.

*Oh, you’re back from your lunch break!*

rainedrop-roleplay

...That's none of your damn business.

*He peels some moss off the wall, rolling and squishing it into a ball between his hands while he walks.*

limitless-liminals

*It is! I wanna know.*

Kiki.

*What? It’s a good question! We need to tell the higher ups to stop leaving out important information.*

Kiki.

*Fine, fine. I’m sorry, Mr. Merlot.*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Eh. it's fine.

*He slows down a little to look over his shoulder, squinting up at the cloud that seems to be following.*

....Are you the weird cloud?

limitless-liminals

*I wouldn’t call myself a weird cloud but yeah, I’m the cloud!*

The cloud did a little circle in the air. Frankly, I don’t like how overt she’s being but who am I to complain?

*You just think we shouldn’t have any personality ever with our job.*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Huh. sup?

*He waves at the cloud.*

limitless-liminals

The cloud extended a ‘limb’ that waved before it came down closer and closer- KIKI.

*Keep talking!*

Kiki came down to the ground next to you, hovering right in front of you. Its pure white color stood out against the grey, stormy clouds.

*Hi! Hello!*

rainedrop-roleplay

Uh, hi.

*He waves, still competely unphased by all of this. Maybe it's just because he's a bit drunk, or maybe he's just Like That. After a second, he offers Kiki the wadded up ball of moss. That one's definitely from the drunk part, that's a drunk gift.*

limitless-liminals

Kiki giggled and with a ‘hand’ formed from clouds, she took the moss ball and patted him on the head. Oddly, there was substance to it and it felt how a kid might imagine a cloud would, like a soft pillow.

*Thank you for the amazing gift!* she chirped, genuine.

Kiki took the ball and tossed it into her mouth in a motion that can only be assumed as eating it. Afterwards, she hummed in delight.

rainedrop-roleplay

Uh, you're welcome..

*He cracks a crooked smile, then starts walking again.*

...So, what are we doin'?

limitless-liminals

*C’mon, you don’t want to ruin the surprise!*

Kiki began a path into the woods, a portion that seemed unfamiliar no matter how much he had explored here. Dense pine trees decorated the rocky trail. Little light penetrated the forest despite the lack of a thick canopy.

*you’ll seeeeee~*

rainedrop-roleplay

Fiiine..

*He shrugs and keeps walking. Aside from squinting at the unusual darkness, he's not as bothered as he should be by the strange unfamiliarity of the area. Rather than get tense and suspicious, he starts quietly humming a tune.*

limitless-liminals

The cloud circled around him routinely, which was convenient considering the tiny amount of luminosity it had. She occasionally obstructed his vision but not enough to be anything more than a slight annoyance.

*Im not annoying!*

You going in front of people’s eyes is though.

*…Oopsies! Sorry, Mr!*

The deeper you went the less her light helped you. It only got darker and darker until you could hardly see a foot in front of you. A few times, you nearly stumbled into a pine tree of hit your foot on a giant rock.

rainedrop-roleplay

Ah fuckin- Hey, I can't fuckin' see shit in here!

*He complains after nearly tripping for a 3rd time.*

Shoulda died with a damn flashlight on me...

limitless-liminals

*I can see perfectly fine!*

The air brought goosebumps on your skin, abruptly introducing you to a frozen breath that sent shivers down your spine. Breathing chilled your throat like ice would and it only lingered in your chest.

The path continued on then

Dark.

No light from Kiki and nor natural sunlight

But a primal need to keep moving forward persisted.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot gets... quiet suddenly. He slows to a halt, only to breathe deep and further take in the cold.

The cold is... right. Somewhere cold is where he had been going, before he was stopped in his tracks. Before he was killed. Before he was Waylaid. He starts to move again, a slow walk building up into a desperate sprint. It doesn't matter that he can't see where he's going, it doesn't matter how many times he might crash into a tree or trip and fall and have to get back up, he keeps running with all he has.

Because this has to be it. This is where he needs to be. It's not too late afterall.

He can still make things right.*

limitless-liminals

*HEY, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?*

You crash into several pine trees and snow(?) lands on your skin. It melts and chilling liquid dribbles down your shirt and into your hair. Pine needles scrape your skin much deeper than they should and you trip over rocks countless times.

Personally, I’m confused by this new found drive as well but if you wish to quicken the process, who am I to judge?

In the distance is a source of light, nearly blinding like the sun. It stings your cornea to gaze for too long but it highlights the outline of the trees.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Snow. Snow and trees. This is the place, it has to be. Merlot flinches and shields his eyes against the light, but he keeps going. The near empty wine bottle is left behind in the dark, forgotten. No longer needed.*

I have to get there!-

*Behind the arm shielding his face, Merlot's expression is set in fierce determination. There's a fire behind his eyes, reignited.*

limitless-liminals

*Suit yourself!*

What is your objective here?

Each footstep seems to take you no where. No where closer to the light and it was like running in a treadmill.

rainedrop-roleplay

Damn it!

*He keeps running, desperation taking determination's place. He's so close, he can't fail again.*

I have to- I have to get there, I have to find It- so I can go back and-

And fucking kill that bastard!!

limitless-liminals

What is it? Who are you killing?

The treadmill-like quality never stopped. He wasn’t running into anything but the frigid temperatures persisted.

*Da— Narrator..?*

Quit it.

rainedrop-roleplay

*It doesn't matter to him that he's not getting any closer. He's sure he HAS to at some point. So he keeps running. And running. Merlot can't help slowing down as exhaustion seeps it's way into his bones, but he doesn't stop. The cold and the pine trees and the snow(?) have unlocked some borderline feral quality within him.*

The.. the Deathless.

When I... am Deathless.. I can kill him- The fucker who killed me!

*Running gradually slows to a jog, then to a walk. Even as his legs are shaking, threatening to give out, and each breath is coming as a harsh gasp, Merlot forces himself forwards. He'll go until he collapses.*

limitless-liminals

Mr. Merlot, I need you to understand that we can help you. Kiki and I have powers beyond what we’ve shown and our connections are wide. Our resources are even grander.

Sit down. Time is paused and running won’t bring you anywhere but closer to exhaustion. The ‘fucker who killed you’ can’t go anywhere either.

In order for us to help, you have to make a semblance of sense. Explain from the beginning what happened.

rainedrop-roleplay

.....from the begining, huh?

*He stops, but for several minutes just, stands in silence. Eventually, he turns to the left a little and slowly sits down, slumping forward a little.*

....

.

.

....Once upon a time, I had a city. I didn't just run it, it was mine. I built it up from the tiny shithole it started as. Turned it into something worth living in. And then I... lost someone. It... left me in a weird fucking haze. Suddenly nothing mattered. So this bastard, August, rose to power right under my fucking nose. Right in front of my face. I should've cared, should have fucking done something, but I didn't. Nothing mattered until...

Until I met his kid.

The piece of shit uses him as a fucking... executioner. Child soldier. Treats him worse than an object. By the time I figured out what was going on, I'd become... this.

*He gestures vaguely at himself.*

Too fucking old and frail and alone to do shit against this young bastard and his... arsenal of zealots and supernatural shit. So I made a little deal with.. something. Learned the answer to my problem.

"Go north, to the coldest corner of the world, and die in the presence of the Deathless. Become it."

....Except I never made it out of the fucking city. August got wind of the fact I was packing up to leave. I did fight back, but it wasn't enough. It was never going to be enough. Not with me like this.

I promised that kid I'd kill the fucker. That I'd give him a normal life...

I failed.

limitless-liminals

Oh…Oh, I’m so sorry…That wasn’t what I was expecting to hear. We’ll see what we can do for you, okay? We know your universe number so we’ll see what we can gather.

*A kid doesn’t deserve that…*

The cloud appeared again and wrapped around you, unnaturally warm. It glowed like a night light, a comforting anchor in this dark abyss.

*You didn’t either. We’ll get you there, okay?*

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot sits frozen, a bit dumbfounded at first. Is this real? Can these voices really help the way they say they can, can they be trusted?... What's the catch going to be? Not that it would matter. He'd do anything to go back and make things right.*

....Okay.

*He reaches up, hugging the cloud back if he can.*

limitless-liminals

Your hands sunk into the cloud a tad as if you were hugging a pillow. She only unwound herself once you let go and even then, she was a tad hesitant.

Unlike before, she didn’t disappear. No, she illuminated the way for you towards the blinding light. The trees were denser and path rockier, less worn down by human travel. Pine needles littered the way alongside the chilly pink, glittery powder decorating the floor and trees.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He gives the cloud a little pat after letting go.*

...Thanks.

*Then he turns and starts heading towards the light again, still determined, but more calm and measured this time.*

limitless-liminals

*Of course!*

The temperature gets lower and lower until you’re shivering and your teeth are clattering. Each step is laborious with deeper and deeper powder crunching beneath your feet. The cloud, now much warmer than before, aids you significantly in ensuring a proper body temperature.

*We’re almost there.*

The light is blinding and only a few feet away. Now, it’s impossible to see due to an abundance of light rather than a lack of it. Your eyes brim with tears around the edges, attempting to compensate.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot wraps his arms tight around himself in response to the increasing cold. As the light becomes fully blinding, he shuts his eyes tight, trusting the welcome warmth of the cloud to keep guiding him in the right direction through it.*

Fuckin' hell...

limitless-liminals

Brighter.

Brighter.

Brightest.

Beckoning him in like an anglerfish’s light. Welcoming into its maw. A twisting sensation in your gut that something is wrong before it’s

Gone.

Gone like how the light disappeared

Gone like how the twisting in your gut unraveled

Gone like how your life faded away from you.

What awaited on the other side was an old village decorated with cobblestone homes. The same snow littered the roof tops alongside the same pungent cold. Smoke billowed from the chimneys, likely an attempt to stay warm.

A well sat in the center of the town, bucket lowered down inside of it. The same moss decorated the cracking stone while the rest of it remained in pristine condition.

The paths were covered with fresh footprints marking the snow(?). They led from home to home with the steps further down going to larger facilities. It was difficult to see through the thick on slaughter of powder but you could make out the shape of them at the very least.

No one walked outside nor was there any noise, just the snow storm brushing wind against your ear and snow occasionally falling off rooftops in chunks.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot tenses up, even after the unsettling feeling fades...It was there. And it's not an unfamiliar feeling. He slowly opens his eyes to a squint once the light is gone, then rapidly blinks them open the rest of the way.*

....It's... just like it's supposed to be...

*Despite his better instincts, the sight of what appears to be one of the landmarks he was supposed to keep an eye out for on the journey he never started, melts the majority of his remaining caution and suspicion like butter on a frying pan.

He walks up to the front door of the nearest cabin, and knocks.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing. No reply, no movement behind the door, nada.

The cloud hovered over your shoulder, emitting the same warmth as before. She hummed a tune and— Kiki, seriously, get out of there.

*Nope!*

Fine.

rainedrop-roleplay

*With no one answering, he tries opening the door, hoping it'll be unlocked and there'll be something inside to tell him more precisely where he is.*

limitless-liminals

The handle clicked open.

…Do you wish to proceed?

rainedrop-roleplay

*...He pauses.*

Why do I feel like this might be a bad idea....

*Despite his clear hesitation, he proceeds inside.*

limitless-liminals

With one more shove open and much resistance came snow crashing down with the force of a bunk bed falling on top of you.

It came for you.

It piled on top of you.

It buried itself around you.

The pink powder forced itself into your nostrils and maw, creating plugs where any oxygen may try to get it. It threatened to freeze the flesh the longer it lingered. The meat tingled and became numb, fighting to keep itself warm enough. Your fingertips and ears nipped with frostbite in a similar fashion.

Darkness filled every attempt to see, Kiki’s light doing little for you. Speaking of her, it was impossible to say if she got crashed into as well.

Kiki..?

.

.

.

Ah, I suppose she did.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot's immediate reaction is to try and flail, then start frantically wiping at his face with his sleeves while trying to spit and force air out of his nose, like when you accidentally swallow a bug, or one flies into your nostril, just with more force and urgency.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, what the hell is this? He didn't come this far just to die a second death from suffocation.

He starts to fumble frantically for something in one of his pockets. It's snow(?), surely it doesn't like fire? After a few shaky striking attempts, made even harder with cold fingertips, Merlot's flip lighter blinks to life near his face.*

limitless-liminals

There was a decent bit of leeway where your limbs could move. Where there was a gap was only filled in by more of the loose powder. That included the tiny amount of time you were able to free your nose as it filled back up again, adding the need to sneeze. So long as your mouth remained shut, that was free though.

The light struggled to light.

One spark.

Two spark.

Three spark.

Finally, it was lit and it began to melt. Liquid hit your face, now trying to cut off air through drowning it seemed. At least it was easier to breathe now.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot drags his free hand up to his face, pressing his palm flat against his mouth. Then he cups it, creating an air pocket just long enough to take a deep breath before any of the power and liquid can slip between his fingers.

Holding his breath now, he moves his hand away and starts trying to dig an opening in the snow(?) in front of him. He's sure it's bound to be easier to dig and melt out the side than try to climb up and probably keep sinking. He keeps his head angled down, so any liquid melting from above can only hit the back of his head and flow down the back of his neck.*

limitless-liminals

The tunnel seems endless and there’s no sign of Kiki along the way. There wasn’t a single pip or holler nor shine or glimmer.

It’s the same routine for god knows how long: move powder out of the way and keep going.

But why do you fight it? It’s hard to move your limbs now and you’re beginning to feel warm, oh, so very warm, like a hug from your grandma. The force on you is like a weight blanket lulling you to sleep. It’s quite comfortable, is it not?

rainedrop-roleplay

*Worry for Kiki bristles in the back of his mind, but there's nothing he can do without getting himself out first. He can't risk trying to call out when this stuff almost seems to have a mind of it's own and wants him dead.

A hug from his grandma?? Oh now that's just pissed him off, he doesn't have one of those, fuck you, fuck this warmth, fuck this powder, fucking bitch-

His thoughts are a continuous stream of angry swears as he tries a different approach, digging away at the powder above him and trying to climb up.*

Warm. Your body only grew warmer and it took a second do your to comprehend if up was truly up. Maybe, you weren’t going to the side at all? Which way was where?

Before you could doubt for much longer, light began to peak through the powder. Liquid was drenched all over you and snow(?) clung but there was light. There was always light at the end of the tunnel.

Proceed?

[yes] [no]

It’s so warm.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot pauses for just a moment to do the hand-air-pocket trick again, taking another deep breath and holding it. His lungs are still burning, he really needs a break to breathe properly, but at least he's still not suffocating.

[yes]

He proceeds, digging his way towards the light as fast as he can manage.*

limitless-liminals

It’s so hot. The heat is burning your skin the closer to crawl to the light. You could blame it on the lighter, sure, but it shouldn’t be your entire form.

One tiny layer of powder remains…but there’s finally a peep deeper within.

*HELP!*

It was like a crying baby locked inside a car on a sweltering afternoon…well…if a baby could speak. I’d imagine the tone would sound quite similar, high-pitched and loud while muffled by the car’s metal.

Proceed to the surface? Do you wish to be selfish?

[Yes]

[No]

rainedrop-roleplay

*He freezes in place. Fuck, fuck can a cloud suffocate? Surely not, but she is calling for help.. Merlot cups his hand over his mouth once more, coughing and gasping a couple times before taking a deep breath again. Being a chronic smoker is REALLY not helping here.

He looks at the light a moment longer. Then he turns away from it, beginning to dig towards where he heard the cry for help.

[no]

He caused the avalanche, even though it was an accident. He can't just leave her down there.*

limitless-liminals

The light faded away as you dug deeper and deeper. You could hardly feel your limbs anymore. If you didn’t know better, you might assume they weren’t there.

*MERLOT? MERLOT, WHERE ARE YOU?*

She didn’t sound too far away and fortunately, you had a clear direction. It meant diving straight down though.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot curses inwardly, and covers his mouth one more time to yell, hoping it won't be too muffled to carry.*

I'M- *cough COUGH* HERE- ABOVE YOU- *COUHOUGH* JUST HOLD-

*He takes a breath and holds it before he can get trapped in a coughing fit, then flips the lighter closed so he can use both hands to dig. Also to avoid accidentally burning Kiki when he's not sure where precisely she is under the mess of powder.

It's a struggle to keep moving his limbs when he can barely feel them, but it's still not as bad as trying to stand with a bullet through both kneecaps. He dives down.*

limitless-liminals

After two feet of digging, you feel the same pillow-life consistency of Kiki’s body. The light within her is dying, flickering like a light bulb out of power.

*Merlot!*

The light intensifies slightly and she climbs closer to you. She wraps around your body with ease, apparently hitching a ride. At the very least, her warmth soothed some of the numbness and her light aided in guiding the way.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Once she wraps around him, Merlot turns and starts to dig back the way he came. He won't bring the lighter back out unless the lack of it really impedes his progress more than just digging with one arm would. He needs to get them both out now, before the dizzyness from poor oxygen gets much worse.

It's no longer about getting himself out. This small fluffy being is clinging to him, depending on him.

He claws at the snow(?) with both hands like a dog, only one goal in mind.

Get out.

Get out.

GET OUT.*

limitless-liminals

And out you popped, oxygen finally entering your lungs with ease. The height of the pile left you able to climb on the roof if you so pleased, which also had its own layer of powder on it.

Kiki’s body expanded and shrank with each desperate inhale and exhale. With the sunlight, you could now see her previously pristine white had shifted into a murky grey. Her form twisted around your body tighter, clinging while she let out a sound akin to a whimpering dog.

rainedrop-roleplay

*After expelling the powder from his nose, Merlot takes a couple minutes to just hack and cough and gasp for air. When darkness is no longer clinging to the corners of his vision, and he doesn't feel like he might fall over from dizzyness, he does climb onto the roof, though not before brushing as much of the powder off to the side as he can.

Once he's safely onto the solid surface, he looks down at Kiki.*

..hey... you alright?

limitless-liminals

She let out another whine, clinging tighter now. Kiki’s breathing never calmed down, unlike your own. She shook what you could assume to be her head.

*Scary. Couldn’t move. No, no, no, don’t like. Don’t like.*

rainedrop-roleplay

*His normally rough tone quickly softens.*

Shit, hey, hey hey hey, it's ok, it's ok now. We're out..

*He wraps his arms around her, as best as he can while she's wrapped around him.*

I'm.. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't get you out sooner...

limitless-liminals

Her grey color only darkens as water begins to drip, much like a rain cloud would. Kiki’s breathing intensified into short choppy—oh, poor thing…Take care of her for me..

Her head buried into the crook of your neck, words coming out rushed.

*’sokayscaryIdontnonononoImnktmeanttobenoImsorryImsorryshouldnthavehadto*

rainedrop-roleplay

*He hugs her tighter, raising one hand to pat the back of her head.*

Shh, hey.. That shit falling on us was my fault, I'm the one that disturbed the fuckin' building.. And I'm not letting that happen again, okay?

limitless-liminals

She nodded into your neck, bristling some more rain off of her. It made no difference when you were already drenched though but at the very least, it washed off some of the glitter.

*Mhm, okay, okay, that’s okay. I shouldn’t-*

She paused and shook her head, her form practically melting into you as her anchor of comfort. Her breathing stayed short and each inhale was akin to a wheeze.

*Im sorry. I shouldn’t have brokentherulesandIshouldntbehereImsosorryIdidntmeantothisispunishmentImsosorry.*

rainedrop-roleplay

Punishment for what? I don't know what "rules" you broke, but FUCK the rules. You've done nothin' wrong. And fuck whoever wants to "punish" you. I'll fuckin' shoot them.

limitless-liminals

She shook head, tears increasing.

*Boss, knows. Always knows. I shouldn’t be here. I’m not a character ImnotIshouldntbe. Foolish dreams.*

Oh, Kiki…Hun, you can always come back up. You don’t have to be down there. Down there is scary, I understand. It’s why I’m not down there.

She let out another whiny noise.

rainedrop-roleplay

Not a... "character?"

"He's not a person, he's not even really human. Just a thing. Don't be silly, C-"

*Merlot's grip on her tightens a bit. Not enough to hurt, just protective. Maybe even a bit possesive.*

..Kiki? You listen to me, alright? You're whatever you want to be, not what some other fucker tells you. You are a person and no piece of shit can make that less true. They can fuckin' try, but it doesn't change the facts.

*He sighs*

You don't... you don't have to believe me right away, either.... If you want to go back to wherever "up" is, if that's safe... It's alright. I get it. This is different and it's scary... But only if you want to. You don't have to do shit. And if you want to stay here, I promise, I'll do every fucking thing I can to keep you safe.

limitless-liminals

Her form turned less solid, melting into a mess if condensation in his hold. Feeling that she was repetitively shaking her head was a difficult task. Her own hold tightened but it didn’t feel that way due to the lack of solidification.

*Wrong, no, no. Mmmmmmm, go home. This isn’t hommmmme. Scary. Bad. Scary bad place.*

Her mind was too overrun by fear and terror to respond in any amount of substance. If you’d like, I can take her off your hands?

rainedrop-roleplay

No. Not until she calms down and decides what she wants..

*He practically snarls at the other voice. Then he starts to slowly maneuver into a sitting position, doing his best to bring Kiki's vaguely noncoporeal form with him. His voice softens again, volume lowered to a half whisper.*

hey, hey we're just gonna sit down for a minute, ok? You're safe, it's ok. Just take some deep breaths, try to calm down... I'm not going anywhere. We'll just, sit right here and you can cry it all out.. You can.. you can go home if you want, just calm down.. I'm gonna sit right here as long as you need.

limitless-liminals

Alright, understood. I just thought that her home might help her. Y’know, familiar locations and all of that.

*I shouldn’t feel like this. I’m sorry. These feelings aren’t mean for me and—* she sniffled, *—I’ll be calm. I’ll be calm soon. It’s okay. I’m okay. I can choose.*

But her breathing didn’t calm and she only continued to melt.

rainedrop-roleplay

No, no no, don't need to apologize. There's not a damn thing wrong with having your feelings. They'll pass on their own, you just calm when you're ready, I don't have anywhere to be right now. Doesn't have to be soon. Okay?

*After a moment, he sighs, then looks up at the sky*

....If she goes home now, can she still come back if she wants to later?

limitless-liminals

She whined and clung on tighter, practically liquid. Kiki was warm, a gracious thing in this frigid temperature. Her color had developed from pristine white to nearly black.

*Wrong. It’s really really really wrong and I should’ve and wrong and bad and I’m sorry and it shouldn’t have happened and I shouldn’t be here.*

To answer your question, I won’t stop her. She is her own person. Other people may though.

rainedrop-roleplay

Fuck... ...Haddie would know what the hell to do here...

....Kiki? What do you want, right now? Do you think you can tell me? Don't worry about what's right or wrong. What do you think might make you feel better?

limitless-liminals

She shook her head repeatedly, water smearing under his chin. Kiki was basically only liquid that was clinging to his clothes and skin now in one flat layer. He couldn’t see her breathing but he could hear every pant.

*Scared. I don’t know. I’m sorry, I don’t know. I don’t know. Never felt like this.*

…Kiki, let’s just get you home.

*IdontknowIdontknowIdontknowIdontknow.*

rainedrop-roleplay

It's ok, it's ok, you don't have to know right now... We'll just sit here..

*Merlot's own breath is starting to pick back up again, just a little. He's keeping it under control so as to not freak her out further, but fuck. Is she dying? What if she just keeps going until she doesn't exist anymore? Or is this just normal for her, sort of like it was for-*

.....What if I just, talk about something, huh?.. You wanna hear more about where I come from?... give you something else to focus on..

limitless-liminals

*Mhm, yes, please. That’d be nice.*

At the very least, she wasn’t melting anymore and she didn’t seem to notice his own panic. If she did, it didn’t cause any reaction.

rainedrop-roleplay

....The city I come from, Sulffergette, it rains a whole lot. Probably more than what's... normal, I guess. You're real lucky to get 3 dry days in a row, 5 is wild. Never once saw a complete week without it pouring. Not in 80 fuckin' years. So this... Sittin' on a roof talking, drenched in the rain, it's almost nostalgic. Homelike. 'Cept this time I'm also talkin' to the rain, heh..

...And the city sits down in a fuckin'.. bowl thing in the land. So, we've got this big drainage system to keep the place from flooding. It's like a labyrinth of huge fucking pipes down below the streets. And at some point... people started living down there. Building walkways and docks and shit. Sort of an undercity now. There's... a certain charm to both.

*Merlot's tone noticeably starts to shift the more he talks about his home. Worry and apprehension fade in the face of fondness and pride. There's a definite sparkle returning to his eyes.*

Up above, everything's dark alleys and neon lights. There's color everywhere. Reflected off the full glass windows, in the layer of water that nearly always covers the ground. Even the wet fuckin' trash looks pretty at night when it catches pieces of the stars and the street signs. And then there's the street art. You pass an old brick building or go down to the warehouses, someone'll have tagged it with graffiti, or hand painted some kinda mural. It's... beautiful.

Below is a lot different. It's where people go to get away from other people, or do some things... on the shadier side. There's a black market. A band of necromancers. Been waiting on those fuckers to bring me back, but at this point I don't think they're- Ugh, anyways. The undercity's more... bland and grungy compared to above, but I still like it. You take a boat down the right drainage tunnel, and you'll find some fuckin' guy who won't hold a damn second of conversation to save his life, but will trade you the best fried mushrooms you ever had.

....I really miss it.

limitless-liminals

As she listened, her breathing gradually began to slow. Her color, once dark grey and melting, formed into a more solid, light grey cloud. Where there once was worried thoughts was replaced by her images.

With her imagination came mini clouds that split from her body that were shaped to be what he described: Pipes and trash and graffiti colored into buildings. The colors were like watercolor, likely not as vibrant as what he had described, but they got the point across. Mini sculpted people roamed the streets, only becoming more detailed as she calmed down.

*I’d wanna go there too…maybe we could in the future…?*

Kiki, you won’t be able to…

*…*

She began to melt slightly once more.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He marvels at the mini clouds and the pictures they form, an actual grin starts to form on his face, and a laugh starts to build in his throat, but both are cut off at the narrator's words. He glares up at the sky.*

Hey, shut the fuck up!

*Then he looks back down at Kiki, his gentle tone of voice returning right away.*

Ignore that shit. I'll find some way to show it to you, I learned a LONG time ago there's no such fuckin' thing as "impossible."

First thing you should see in Sulffergette is the view from a 50th floor high rise. You get high up enough, the streets look like a galaxy. And then we can go down and get ramen.

limitless-liminals

Kiki giggled for a second, color lightening once more. A cloud booped Merlot’s nose before fading into nothing.

*Be nice! I know I won’t actually be able to leave. I just like to dream sometimes. Maybe, I could try to recreate it later.*

She sighed and began detailing the sculpture once more.

rainedrop-roleplay

Yeah well, a certain someone should be nice about your dreams, then...

I meant what I said though. Nothin's impossible.

limitless-liminals

Merlot, as much as I appreciate your intent, you’re doing more harm than good. For her and I, we both can’t leave our own universe other than for the sake of tasks. Both of us are very limited. That’s not me being rude, just me being realistic. False hope hurts.

…Kiki’s color began to darken and sculpture began to lose detail once more…Kiki, Im not trying to hurt you…we both know this.

*I know…*

She moves closer to you.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He looks up again, hugging Kiki a little tighter.*

Is it a "you fall apart if you're outside of your dimension for too long" sorta thing, or is it a "I need to shoot god" sorta thing? Because I'll fuckin' do it.

*He's dead (badum-tss) serious. This man WILL shoot god or whatever equivalent in the face for both of you.*

limitless-liminals

*Its boss…please don’t do anything…*

The powder continued to hit your back but Kiki’s tears dripping from the cloud like rain only added to the moisture. She shook her head and let out a tiny whine of distress, sounding much like wind.

But no, you shouldn’t. There won’t be much success there. This is the way it’s been since ewe were both born.

rainedrop-roleplay

Alright, alright... We won't worry about all that...

*"Right now" is the unspoken end to that sentence. He won't focus on that right now, he's dropping the subject. But he's not going to forget this. It's too close to home. His mind is already made up.*

....You know, I've never actually seen snow before. I'd been told what it would be like, but this is my first time actually seeing it myself.

limitless-liminals

Kiki couldn’t help but snicker *Snow is white, silly! This is similar but it’s not snow.*

She booped your nose, fading back to a pristine white. This time, she seemed much more solid than before even. It was like— Kiki, hold on, Kiki.

*:3*

I still don’t know how you speak those faces.

aguidetothemultiverse

It’s getting quite hot out here, is it not? I’m going to have to switch to my summer clothes soon! If you would be so kind, dear, what is Noel doing on this sweltering afternoon?

@limitless-liminals

*He's been hanging around the infirmary, staying close by Arthur and John's side, monitoring his healing. His guilt was eating him up. Any time Phoebe lost a feather, he'd pick it up and fiddle with it until it practically fell apart, much to Phoebe's dismay. She was trying to nest out of those!! On Arthur's chest!!! And he was taking her nesting materials!!*

limitless-liminals

A knock rang through the infirmary from the door but when he turned, there would be no one there. What was there instead was an ethereal, white feather that glittered in the sterile lights as it floated down from the top of the doorway.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tenses immediately. He stares suspiciously at the feather. No. Nope. Not doing that.

He grabs Phoebe and sets her to his chest. She would not be the reason he gets into another eldritch mess, she would not be getting hurt by another eldritch being. Nope.

But, God, his curiosity was killing him. He wanted to know what was up with this. Why a feather? Why a feather when he just got attached to this bird?? What was trying to lure him? Where was it trying to lure him?*

limitless-liminals

Plop.

It was a wet splotch as it hit the tile and it sounded as though it dropped into a puddle that never was there. The shape was round, a perfect sphere roughly the size of a marble, white with another circle colored with— It was an eyeball.

*Yikes! People typically need those, don’t you think? Well, unless you’re like our buddy Arthur here who conveniently has a John to keep him company.*

The narrator spoke in a cheerful tone within his head, a sing-song lilt in each syllable with a poorly hidden giggle. Their voice was fairly androgynous, maybe a tad masculine if you squint, but it was fairly young if Noel had to guess.

*Aw, thank you for the compliment! I don’t consider myself that young but I’m glad I still have my sparkle. Oh! Shoot, Noel, you can’t hear the other voice, can you? I’m sorry for the confusion, I’ll quiet down!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He grimaces.*

"Goddammit... Not again..."

*His voice shakes. He was so tired. He was so fucking tired. He didn't want to hear any more voices. The King was bad enough in the Dreamlands, then there was Aamon, and now this?!

He glanced around nervously. Maybe other people could see this. Maybe other people could hear this. Maybe it wasn't just him being greeted by whatever this was.

That or he had finally lost it. Maybe he really went cooky this time. He knew he'd snap at some point, but frankly, he was expecting a bit more time until then.

...Was any of this real? Did he just... Die at the Order and this is... What, his brain making something up to ease him into death? This wasn't a fun way to be eased into death. He'd assume that his brain would pick something nicer. Maybe the real Noel, or Roland. Hey, maybe both. Of course, Arthur and John would be there, too.

Ugh, stay focused, Dowd! This thing can speak in his head, he shouldn't be getting distracted!!*

limitless-liminals

*Huh, not again? Does this specific stuff happen to you a lot? I know someone who has a repeating scenario happen every two days! Is it like that?*

Dear, as much as I love your enthusiasm, let’s stick to the plot.

*Oh! Right, the plot. So sorry. I need to stop getting side tracked.*

The eye began rolling toward Noel, each time sounding like it was in an ocean of viscous liquid that never was there. The floor remained as dry as it typically was.

aguidetothemultiverse

"N-No- No, no! We're not doing this!"

*He places Phoebe on Arthur's cot, pulling his pistol out and pointing it at the eye. He stands on the chair to get more distance.*

"Stay back!! I'm not- I'll shoot!!"

limitless-liminals

*Huh? Thats not me. Thats just an eye, silly!*

It stopped rolling and the feather began flying through the air as if on wind that didn’t exist in the infirmary. It made circles before looping back around and weaving through the air in various zig zags.

The eye only watched.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He cowers away from the feather, aiming his gun at the both of them.*

"Leave me alone!!"

*He was shaking. He needed to stop doing that. It was happening too much. He just needed to calm down. Maybe this was all fake. Maybe this was a dream. Hey, this would be wonderful if it were a dream. He'd just need to wake up.

...He could shoot his foot to wake himself up. Ehh, that should probably be a last resort thing.*

limitless-liminals

*What was next on the itinerary?*

The sound of rummaging through papers could be heard as I try to search for the list. Typically, I was more organized than this but with all the new information they’ve been giving out, it was nearly impossible.

*Take your time!*

Found it! Okay, Noel needs to…I probably shouldn’t say this where the viewers can see. Come closer to me so you can read it.

*hmmm….got it! Noel, honey, let’s put the gun down.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What?? No! He'd never do that!! He wasn't giving in! He's never given in before, he wasn't planning on starting now!!*

"Do you think I'm an idiot??"

*He shoots a glance at Phoebe. If this damn bird goes over to any of what's happening right now, he swears he'll be having roasted pigeon for dinner.*

"And don't call me honey. You're not gonna win me over with sweet words."

limitless-liminals

*A little, yeah, there’s not really avoiding this part. We kind of need it for the plot.*

The feather floated directly onto Arthur’s chest, not moving any more once it situated directly in the center. The eyeball just watched, pupil going wherever movement did.

*Actually, hold on, I think the rules got revised for what was allowed in there.*

More rummaging of paper.

*Oh! Nevermind, you can keep your gun. I’m sorry.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Phoebe eyes the feather curiously. It would work wonderfully in her little nest here... She took a step towards it and was almost immediately scooped up by Noel. He presses her against his chest and she lets out a shocked coo.*

"Leave me alone! I've got no information for ya! I've got nothin'!"

limitless-liminals

*…Why would I care for information? I got all the info I need!*

The sound of a pen scratching on paper could be heard followed the sound of footsteps. My lover hums gently as she reads over the words. Her voice-

*AHHHH! HOLY SHIT, ARTHUR! OH NO, OH NO, OH NO. THE FEATHER. YOU GOT TO DISPOSE OF IT. GET IT AWAY. BURN IT OUTSIDE. ITS THE ONLY WAY! GET UP! GET UP! FUCK, WAKE UP!*

…Okay, maybe it didn’t need to be that loud. Ouch.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He winces at the sudden increase in volume. When she quiets down, he leans forward and blows it off of Arthur's chest. Someone else could go and burn it. He was done leaving Arthur and John's side. He wasn't doing that again. They needed him, at least for now. At least while vulnerable like this.*

limitless-liminals

*Bud, you better go and light that feather on fire! I could stick you in a really horrible level if I—*

—I love the enthusiasm, honey, but let’s tone it down. Let’s turn to the collective vote of the viewers at home to see if we have the permission to skip over the process we had written down! He may end up in another level than what was planned but hey, who doesn’t love some improv?

Mumbling filled every corner of the room, seeping in from where we came from. I always hate how our worlds will bleed together but it’s inevitable.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He shudders, but doesn't budge. Whatever a "level" was, it didn't mean anything to him currently. If it was meant to be a meaningful threat, it really wasn't. He didn't even have a lighter!!*

"Come up with a better threat, doll."

*He tried to ignore the mumbling. It wasn't anything too out of the norm while encountering gods, so it was to be expected. It didn't make it any less unsettling, though. His ears always strained to understand what was being said, even if he didn't want to.

He held Phoebe a little closer to his chest. This thing couldn't do much to this world without his input, could it? And if it could, well, it hadn't yet. Just sounded like a challenge to him, so how much he could piss them off before some shit started happening.*

limitless-liminals

*The votes are in! Drum roll please!*

The sound of pit-patter covered up the mumbling as people slapped their legs repeatedly.

*WE’RE STICKING TO THE PLAN! For now at least…I quite like the idea we had going with this one.*

The feather blew back onto Arthur’s chest with some unnatural current of wind except this time, it didn’t settle there. It began trying to push through his lips and down his throat, easily going halfway there.

*And for your information, that was a great threat! You’re just dumb.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His eyes widen and he jumps to grab the feather, but stops a couple of inches away. Instead of just grabbing it, he wriggles his arm down his sleeve and grabs it, throwing it across the room. Of course, it's a feather, so things don't go exactly according to plan, but it's out of his grasp almost the second it was in it.*

"Tell me why it's good, then."

*He glares at the eyeball on the floor. A thought crosses his mind. He walks over to it and holds his foot above the organ. He goes quiet, listening.*

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see!*

Her voice was playful and more of a song than speaking as she held out the last syllable.

The feather complied with your action, remaining on the floor. We don’t have too much use for it anymore considering your lack of compliance.

The eyeball just watched. Unblinking.

*It doesn’t exactly have eye lids to blink with.*

Eh, you get the point.

*Squashing that thing won’t do much good for you though!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He frowns.*

"What'll happen? Why shouldn't I?"

*He shifts his grip on Phoebe. She felt real... Right?"

limitless-liminals

*You know what, now I don’t want to tell you anymore.*

Phoebe felt as real as she did before. The other objects were a different story. Your eyes began to develop a slight hazey filter over anything else you saw. Your only anchor was the pigeon.

aguidetothemultiverse

tw self harm

*His face goes blank. Oh. Okay. Uh. Cool.

He takes a couple of shaky steps away from the eye. Then points his pistol at his foot.

Without an ounce of hesitation, he pulls the trigger.*

limitless-liminals

*Yowch!*

It didn’t feel real.

The pain didn’t come as it typically would.

No, you felt it distantly with the same hazey filter.

Did it ever truly happen?

Maybe, you need to shoot again?

*I’ll take over the description then. Her voice had a hidden smile in its tone, barely contained by any attempts to relax back to the continuous monotone.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He felt dizzy. No... No. He's done this so many times. Did... He couldn't... No, no, no, no!

He drops the bird, or whatever it was, and falls to his knees. He curls his arms around his head.

And he screams.

Because he can't be back. There was no way. There was no way that these past two years have all been fake. It wasn't possible. He's shot his foot enough times to know that, but now? How now? When did the King get access to him again? And now he knew where that other half was?

So he screams. This was it. He was going to die. This was how he died. He couldn't do it again. It'd either be by his own hands or the King's, but either way, he was dying.

His screams quickly bled into sobs. He couldn't do this. He couldn't do this again.*

limitless-liminals

Ouch, my eardrums!

*You don’t even have those!*

Okay, but it’s a phrase! How am I meant to narrate in these conditions!

*Uh, uh, uh! I don’t know! Make him shut up!*

I hold my hands over my ear holes and I feel the road of my eye shake as I try to regulate myself. I never took fondly to loud noise and— CAN YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY OR I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL DROP YOU IN THE WORST CIRCUMSTANCES YOU CAN THINK OF! I WAS THINKING OF LETTING YOU WARM UP TO THE WHOLE PLACE BUT NOOOO, YOU HAVE TO SCREECH LIKE A BABY!

*…Three deep breathes*

…The sound of breathing can be heard.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tries to follow along with the sound of breathing, even if it wasn't for him, but he can't catch his breath. Tears flow freely from his eyes.

He can't do this again. He can't! He barely made it out alive last time! And Phoebe!! What would she do without him!!

He felt like a child. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go home with his Ma and Pa and curl up in their arms and never deal with this again.*

limitless-liminals

I don’t care. We’re skipping the pretenses to this. I’m done. I’ve had enough. We’re—

BOOOOOOOOOO

SHUT UP, SHUT THE FUCK UP! I DONT CARE WHAT THE VIEWERS WANT. YOURE LUCKY TO HAVE A GODDAMN SHOW. I DONT HAVE TO LIVE STREAM THIS.

*Uh, babe…turn around…*

What? What are you talking about? I— AGHHMMMMTGGGPPGHGGGGGGGG

*…Click…her mic has been muted…I- uh….gods, okay…I guess it’s just you and me now, big guy!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He only curls up more at the voice, shaking violently. He couldn't catch his breath. He couldn't stop sobbing. He couldn't he couldn't he couldn't he couldn't-

Phoebe? Was she still here? Where was his bird? He needed her right now. Where was she? Was she as scared as he was? He couldn't see. He couldn't think. Where was his bird?*

limitless-liminals

*Your bird is where you’d find her typically. Nothing happened to her. Nothing would happen to her.*

Her voice is shaky and uncertain. She moves away from the mic every so often, checking her surroundings, before going back to narrating.

*Lets…okay, please, for both of our sakes, follow my instructions, okay? Please. It will come for me too.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*One hand goes to clamp over his mouth, the other reaching for Phoebe, who immediately presses into him. He has to stifle a wail.

He curls around her, letting his tears drip onto her feathers. He gasps. Air. He needed air. Maybe they could help him get air.

He nods. Okay. Okay, they could maybe help him, even if they got him into this mess.*

limitless-liminals

*okay, okay, thank you, I appreciate it. Just…you see that tile that to the right of the door? I need you to stand on that. You can take the bird with you, I don’t care, you just gotta do that.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He nods again. He just... needed to catch his breath first. Everything was spinny. Deep breath. In and out. It was fine. He shifted the hand from his mouth to Phoebe, feeling her feathers.

Walk over to the tile. That's all he needed to do. The first step was get his feet underneath him. Okay, he could do that. He planted his feet on the floor and-

Oh. That was... disorientating. His pain immediately got more intense, but... was it even his own pain? When he stood up, his leg almost gave out. It was probably his pain. Oh, he hated this. He hated this so much. This was just like the Dreamlands. Oh, he was going to vomit.

No, he had a task. Stay focused, Dowd!!

He hobbled (because that's what it was, his foot was almost dragging behind him) over to the tile, Phoebe held tightly in his arms. He stands on it.

God, he felt like a kid, holding Phoebe like she was a stuffed animal, tears pouring from his eyes. He couldn't even stop it if he tried.*

limitless-liminals

She cleared her throat. *Lock in*

*As soon as your foot hit the tile, the solid ground gave no support as that portion of you just continued slipping down

and down

and down

Down

Down and—

Someone’s leg shouldn’t be able to go this far without the other one following. Actually, the floor shouldn’t seem like nothing more than an illusion in the first place but here we are.*

*The sense of falling was immense and took over every alarm bell but other than the one limb sending those signals, everything else was normal. Your eyes told you that you were planted on the ground. Your other leg was planted on the ground. You weren’t actually falling yet.*

*Itd make the most sense to say the falling leg was extending in order to keep you upright, like some cartoon logic, but none of your nerves sent those signals. The limb was distinctly yours, untouched and unaltered.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*That didn't stop him from getting dizzy by it. He went to take a step away, but stumbled, falling straight on his ass. He clutched Phoebe a little tighter, who lets out a surprised coo.*

"What the fuck?!"

*He felt so sick. Ever since this all started, he felt unbelievably sick. He screwed his eyes shut and tilted his head to the side. Phoebe let out an alarmed coo in response. She rumbles and flaps her wings, trying to get his attention.*

"Phee- Pheeb, just- It's okay- Fuck-"

*He takes a shaky breath, trying to push the nausea that was quickly creeping up on him away.*

limitless-liminals

*…Okay, maybe hop in this time…That way you aren’t just sorta…standing there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His breathing starts to pick up again.*

"How do I-"

*Breathe, Charlie. He'll be okay. He's been through worse. It'll be okay.*

"How do I know that this won't kill me?"

*He needed to stop crying. He needed to breathe. He needed to relax. Panic never got him anywhere. Except keep him alive a few times. He just needed to school it in.*

limitless-liminals

*Trust me, bro? I don’t know. This itself won’t kill you but other stuff can. Let’s just….get back to the tile, okay?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*It takes a moment, but he nods.*

"...Okay..."

*He wanted a name for this thing. But that would have to wait. He shimmied closer to the tile. There was no way he was jumping with how strange his foot was feeling, so trying to position himself over it entirely would have to do.*

limitless-liminals

*Fortunately, that was enough to cause your whole body to phase through the tile. What arrived on the other side of the veil was a foggy, night sky with way too many stars and a plummeting descent to the concrete street below. Your body was roughly 20 yards off the ground.*

*Swallowing up every inch of the landscape were skyscrapers much like the ones you saw in New York, just a tad more futuristic than his era. Between each boxy building were alleyways, if you could call them that. They spanned a mere foot but typically sized dumpsters still remained, part of them stuck in the wall like a poorly placed video game object.*

*The streets, perfectly straight and lacking any potholes or signs of use overall, were vacant of any life. No children laughed at the park down the road, no one was performing street art, nor were there anyone walking in a crowded herd of bumping shoulders. Nothing that would make this city truly feel like a city. The only sign of home you got was the wafting scent of cigarettes.*

*The stoplights and crosswalks worked all the same though, going from red, to yellow, to green. A button near the crosswalk said “wait” in its robotic voice as though it had been pressed, followed but the walking symbol and the command to “walk”.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He curls around Phoebe as he falls, holding her as close as possible. He had to fight to not scream. He needed to be quiet. He didn't know where he was. He wanted to go home.

He doesn't move when he meets the ground, only curling up further and sobbing quietly. He didn't know what was happening. He was scared. He was oh, so scared.*

limitless-liminals

*Do you need a moment…? Medical assistance may- err- nevermind, I can’t give that.*

She looked over her shoulder for me

*Take a deep breath. You’ll be okay. Dont pigeons like the city or whatever?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't move. He doesn't lift his head up. He doesn't stand up. He stays curled up around Phoebe. She was letting out little annoyed coos, but wasn't trying to escape his grasp.*

"What do you- What do you want from me?"

*His voice was barely audible. There was a rasp to it, probably from the screaming and crying. It didn't feel raw, though.*

limitless-liminals

*……Let’s just keep on move, alright, hun? Give me something to narrate.*

aguidetothemultiverse

"No!"

*He whips his head up, glaring at the sky.*

"Tell me what you want from me!! I'll tell you if I could do it!!"

*He clenched his teeth. He could feel the golden tooth push into his gum. He would not go through that again.*

"And if I can't, what will you do?"

*His pained expression slowly morphed into something else. A strange smile spread across his face, the tears still flowing. And he laughed.*

"Torture me? Kill me?! Just tell me already! Rip the bandage off!!"

limitless-liminals

*I want you to keep moving. You can do that, can’t you? Limp around if you have to but keep moving.*

She looked over her shoulder again.

*…please.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He laughs a little harder.*

"I already said no! Tell me the truth! Tell me why you brought me here!"

*Phoebe squirms in his grasp.*

"Tell me what you want from me!!"

limitless-liminals

*How about no! And you should- OH, OH, NEVERMIND, YOU ACTUALLY REALLY NEED TO GET GOING. FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't comply. He tucks his legs to his chest, guarding Phoebe from the outside world, and stares at the sky. Waiting for an answer to his question.

And he wouldn't budge until he got it. He needed an explanation. He wasn't going to run if he didn't know what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing came.

*Damn, normally that works. Did evolution skip over the whole fight or flight thing with you? …Were you alive when they came up with evolution? Does the word make sense to you?….anyways!*

footsteps echoed through the confines of the city but not from anywhere on the ground. It came from the sky. Nothing in the air explained the noise but it circled all around her.

*…okayyoumightreallyneedtogetamoveon. IlltellyouwhatIwantlater.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He still doesn't budge. He. Wanted. His. Answer. He didn't believe those footsteps were real. He didn't. And if he got hurt, then he could take it. He's had worse. He'd been torn apart, head to toe, and got back up fine.

His heart was racing, though. His mind was whispering worries. He wouldn't let it win, though. He wouldn't run until he knew what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

*The footsteps only got louder and louder, vibrating the concrete with each bellowing step. Despite the being never putting a foot down on the ground, the noise of cracking concrete split through the eerie silence and chunks of it clattered around you in various sizes, from pebbles to bricks*

*Please, just…Move bit to the alley?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps violently at the debris, scrambling into the alley without a second thought. He pressed himself into the wall, tucking Phoebe away in his shirt. She protests a little, but only to stick her head out to see what was happening.

He shook and trembled, then glared at the sky. Could this thing hear his thoughts?

Hey, Jackass!

Come on, this has to work.

Tell me what you want from me!! I did what you asked, now tell me why you brought me here!*

limitless-liminals

*I can hear you, no need to yell or name call.* she giggled but it sounded stiff like an actor who’d never been properly told how to emote.

*….*

*Let’s check out the inside of the dumpster as I explain, yeah?*

The footsteps never stop. I thunder overhead like a vicious storm but I never once appear within your gaze. It’s hopeless to try.

*It wasn’t entirely up to me. I don’t know what they want but I’m just here to do what I gotta do. I liked your pigeon, so I maybe swayed the choice a bit.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What does Phoebe have to do with any of this? Couldn't you just have found another pigeon or something?

He cautiously shuffles over to the dumpster, eyeing it suspiciously.

What's in there? What do you want me to do with this??

He wasn't exactly in the mood for dumpster diving while his foot felt like this. Whatever this meant. All he really knew was that it wasn't pleasant and walking was a bit hard, so he clearly got injured. He didn't want it getting infected.*

limitless-liminals

*Have you seen her? She’s just so cute!*

*The open dumpster in front of you was eerily clean and shone with a brightness that didn’t match the dimness of the alleyway. The same hazy filter covered your vision from when you were falling, except this time it wasn’t as bad. The longer you lingered the worse the haze got as the scent of vinegar flooded your nostrils.*

*The green color of the water bottle blended in with the background of the dumpster as it sat perfectly upright. The only thing that stood out against the rest of the metal was the matte, black, plastic lid.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*...That... Still didn't seem very appealing. He didn't exactly feel like hurling his guts the second he saw his body stretch for the second time within a few minutes.

Where will that take me?

He wasn't exactly pleased about running for his life again. And fighting with this... being to get some basic answers while doing so? With some strange, Dreamlands-like logic?

...Why didn't he think of this before.

Kayne. Send me back to the Waylay. Arthur and John are going to panic. At least let me say goodbye.

Please. He didn't want to lose them yet. He wanted to go back to the Waylay.

The realization shocks him a little. Why go back there? With the many unknown dangers? Why not want to go home home?

...Because he didn't have a home anymore. Of course. He cringed at himself.

Wait, can you hear everything I'm thinking? Even the things I'm not thinking... Louder? I guess?

Say no. Please say no.*

limitless-liminals

*…You want me to say no, but I think we both know the answer is yes.* she awkwardly cleared her throat.

*Theres not really an “Off the air” button for you folks like there is for my partner and I. If you can think it, I can work my way into your mind…people usually don’t think about that and I get some…creative folks.*

*Anyways! Who is Kayne? And I don’t think that guy can bring you anywhere? That dumpster you may have to find out about though.*

*CRASH!*

*A block of concrete landed a foot away from your head, cracking the floor.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps away from the debris, stifling a yelp. Phoebe lets out a soft coo in response. He plants his hand over his beak.

Well, lucky for you, I've had practice.

That was all he needed. His mind went quiet. Eerily quiet. He's clearly done this before. They couldn't even read his expression.

He shuffled over to the dumpster. He put his hands on his hips. He stared at it blankly. His thoughts come back.

Do you not know where this goes?

His thoughts go silent again.*

limitless-liminals

*HEY, WHAT, THATS NOT FAIR! COME BACK!*

*The steps paused over head and alongside your thoughts going silent, so did the city. You could hear a pin drop and each breath carried farther on the wind than you might’ve been comfortable with.*

*And I know where that dumpster goes, thank you very much. The waterbottle is still in there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He smiles, raising an eyebrow.

Care to fill me in, doll?

Silence.

If not, I do quite enjoy the quiet...

He steps away from the dumpster, leaning on the opposite wall and staring up at the sky. Smiling. Cocky.*

limitless-liminals

*I actually…uhm…hold on…*

Shuffling papers filled the silence.

*…one second.*

More shuffling, frantic.

*So…this is awkward but I lost the paper…and I don’t know this area that well so…we can find out together?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His smile falls. He raises an eyebrow.

Silence.*

limitless-liminals

*…You just gonna stand there? I lost the paper. There’s not much I can do…*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't budge. Guess the answer was yes.*

limitless-liminals

*Damn, okay. I could really use my partner right now. They’d know where to find it…*

More scavenging and then a satisfied hum.

*Oh! Okay, found it. Let me read anddddddd….huh, that’s a surprise. So, it’s actually just a normal dumpster. Well, as normal as you can get around here.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of moving, he checks his wrist like he's checking a watch. He doesn't have a watch.*

limitless-liminals

*Did you hear me? It’s a normal dumpster! What more are you wantttinnnggggg.* she whined like a toddler having a tantrum.

*rude.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He taps his foot a few times, then pulls Phoebe out of his shirt, holding her under his arm like a pile of books.

Okay, well. If you're gonna be like that, what was the thing stomping around before?*

limitless-liminals

*Be like WHAT? I’m not being like anything. I’m just trying to have a dandy ol’ day and you’re— you know what, never mind. Fine, okay, the thing was—*

—No.

*…Something I can’t say.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Aaand silence.*

limitless-liminals

*Well, fuck you too. Have fun navigating this place alone.*

My stomping begun once again and with it, a storm of concrete hit the floor as buildings began to crumble and collapse.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stays quiet for a little longer. That is, until

Do you control that?

They're let back in. Fear is radiating off of him. He was able to mask all of that. The terror, the fear, the dread. He knew how to hide that.

The King trained him well.

He walks over to the dumpster. His fear spikes before easing a bit. Just water. A normal dumpster for this place. It would be fine.*

limitless-liminals

They won’t reply to you. No, you fucked up. You pushed too hard and now you’re at this world’s mercy.

They were your guide. Your light in the tunnel. A potential road to escape if you played your cards right but you dealt the wrong hand.

The voice came like a whisper on the wind, guiding each syllable against his eardrum. A piece of concrete smashed the floor right next to his foot as a nearby building was dangerously leaning.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Oh, fuck him. He immediately hops in the dumpster, infection be damned. He slams the lid over his head, screws his eyes shut, and clings to Phoebe like his life depends on it. Because honestly? It kind of does. He's alone again. He only has this damn bird. And she didn't know what the hell was happening either. She was a bird.*

limitless-liminals

The chaos around him ensued like a horrible thunderstorm. At one point, the concrete slamming against the floor was loud enough to shake the confines of the dumpster. Simultaneously, a giant chunk slammed against the plastic cover, nearly crushing it, while another dented the side with a bang.

Amongst the chaos was a rushing footsteps that slammed against the floor in a flurry. They turned in direction several times, as if searching. Either that, or it was general panic. It was close to his dumpster.

A friend?

“What the fuck!”

The yell was like a whisper amongst the noise.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks one arm over his head and curls around his core, keeping Phoebe there. He wanted to ignore how much he was shaking.

And a voice. A human voice. He could almost cry with relief. Maybe he was. He couldn't tell. He was so tired of this.

What if it was a trick. Could he take that risk? Could he take the risk of a trick for the chance of seeing another person here? To see another person terrified and in need of help, just like him.

No. No, he couldn't. He was told to go in here. So he would. And he would stay here, even if they didn't come back. It was hidden, it was safer than being out in the open like that.*

limitless-liminals

There was a crash and then the footsteps sprinted right beside the dumpster. It was difficult to hear over everything else but their breathing was ragged and frantic, more akin to wheezing than anything else.

“Holy shitholyshitholyshit,” the voice muttered, yelping as concrete hit the top of the dumpster right again.

But it didn’t break.

Logical reasoning would deduce that he probably had a second before the dumpster was opened.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Well... It'd be fine. He has a gun. If this is a trick, if this person did mean harm, he has his gun! He could just... Shoot. That's what people do with guns.

He took a deep breath to calm his shaking hands. He clicked the safety off his pistol. And he aimed.

And waited.

His shaking didn't stop. He cursed himself internally for the stupid adrenaline that's almost always running through his veins nowadays.*

limitless-liminals

The was a tiny pause of hesitation where the plastic was peaked open become being pulled open fully. What awaited on the other side was a scrappy looking man adorning a light taupe hood and dark green sweater that have both been patched and stitched together ten times at least. In his right hand, he held a knife but he wasn’t pointing it at Noel or anything in particular.

The man slammed the dumpster shut upon staring down the barrel of a gun, leaping at least four feet back. In that split second, Noel could see the wide eyes and sweating skin.

Silence. How the fuck is he meant to reply to that? Does he run?

aguidetothemultiverse

*Noel wouldn't be surprised if he looked like a scared kid, hiding away in a dumpster like this.

...

Okay. Uh... Okay. He... he looked pretty real, but... There was no way to tell.

...There was really no harm in asking, was there? Deep breath, Charlie.

He lifted the lid and peeked out at the man, staring at him with a furrowed brow. He clicks the safety back on, but keeps his pistol in hand.*

"...Are you real?"

*He sticks his head fully out of the dumpster, glancing around the alley. Why did they want him to jump in here?? What the fuck?*

"Can..."

*Oh, he was going to sound insane...*

"Can you hear the... uh... The voice?"

*Was there anything more insane than a man in his 40s hiding in a dumpster aiming a pistol at some random guy with a pigeon on his chest?*

limitless-liminals

They stared, utterly baffled. Speaking of the voices, I finally returned from my not so kind break. I’m sorry if it takes me a second to get caught back up to speed.

Anyhow, the man’s eyes are flickering and head spinning around every so often, scanning for information. He flinches with every noise and presses his back against the wall. He looked just as panicked as you did and with his malnourished frame, there was a tad bit of resemblance between you and him during your…not so fortunate days.

“I think? Yes, I think I’m real,” he said, out of breath. He patted himself just to be sure.

“Can we— let’s put the gun away,”

who was he to make demands right now? That didn’t matter so long as the faux power remained in his shaking tone. To help them both, he put the knife into his harness.

“And uh…yeah. I hear— I hear it.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He swallows thickly when the voice returns.

...Since you're back in my mind, can you tell me if he's real? I think that's a fair trade.

Please. This has to work. She can hear everything he thinks again! Even the non-deliberate things!! Even this! He didn't even realize he was thinking it!! Come on!!

He takes a breath. Focus. There's a guy here, real or not. He looked insane. He slowly crawled out of the dumpster, making sure to keep his pistol in hand, but aimed down. When his foot lands on the ground, he has to fight the urge to wince. It didn't hurt too much, but it was so unbelievably jarring, he felt like his mind was tearing itself apart at the sensation alone.*

"How long have you been here?"

*He shoots another nervous glance around the alley. He would prefer to not get caught by something while his foot was still... like this.*

limitless-liminals

Do you not believe him? I’d describe him as quite real but it’s up to interpretation I suppose. There’s only so much that a narrator can do.

Anywho…where was I…right…

The man’s eyes widened as he tried to back up more, only for his back to hit the wall. His eyes continued examining, always looking for details, but he continued to stare back to the gun…and now your foot. He was certainly the perceptive one, if I had to say so myself.

“I don’t know…I don’t really— time isn’t something I have a good grasp on. Right before everything started falling around us, I guess?”

With each crash, he flinched and anticipated impact only for it never to come.

“Where even IS here?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Of course I don't believe him! Why would I? I don't know how your powers work yet! I don't know what you're capable of!!

He was starting to get a bit uncomfortable under the other man's gaze. He couldn't exactly help the foot thing, so there was no point in staring. The gun was a bit more understandable, but come on, he has no reason to trust this guy yet!*

"I ain't too sure myself."

*Phoebe flutters out from the dumpster, landing on his head. It throws off his balance for a swift moment, but he regains it rather quickly.*

"The first time things started falling or the second time."

*There were probably times before that, too, but he was going based off of his perception, so...

What was it that caused the falling anyway? Was it you? Were you mad at me? Was that it?

That was probably it. Punishment. Despite the deliberate tone that came with the louder thoughts, there were twinges of guilt and terror laced in it. That all this was his fault. That somehow, someway, everything that's happened to him up until this point was all due to some actions he's taken at some point.*

limitless-liminals

Right…I can’t even blame you for your paranoia since it’ll get you far here. I’ll tell you that I’m primarily behind the scenes. Most of what happens around here is entirely unrelated to my own actions. Believe whatever you want but that’s the truth.

The man’s eyes widened upon seeing the creature land on your head. He seemed torn between reaching out and running away. His mouth fell agape, only for him to to remember to close it a second later.

He shook his head, shaking away his silly ideas, “I’m assuming the second since I don’t know the first. We need to take cover before we keep talking though because—“

CRASH!

Perfect timing. It nearly took out his foot though. Twinning would’ve been horrible in this instance.

“…that. That’s why we should take cover.”

His eyes repeatedly went back to the foreign critter. Words hung on his tongue, unspoken. His eyes narrowed in thought.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stumbles back towards the dumpster at the crash of debris. Phoebe flaps her wings wildly at the movement. She spots the other man and deems him as a much more stable host than Noel and flies over to him, landing on his head.

Noel stares at her just as he's about to swing his leg back into the dumpster.*

"Phoebe, get back here."

*At least she thought he was real. Didn't exactly make him feel any better. He kept his voice stern, like he was commanding a misbehaving child.

Will he hurt her? If he tries to hurt her, can you stop him?*

lepi-rp-sideblog

Believe me, I think you’re fine.

The man nearly dove for the dumpster as well until the pigeon landed on his head, to which he froze like a statue. His breath caught in his throat as if an exhale would disturb the bird. Unlike before, he didn’t flinch at any of the clattering. No, he couldn’t. Not until the bird moved

aguidetothemultiverse

*She doesn't budge.*

"Phoebe!"

*He holsters his pistol, walking over to the other man and snatching the bird from his head.*

"Jesus, I'm sorry about her... Got a mind of her own, this one."

*He chuckles nervously, tucking her under his arm like a book before hopping in the dumpster, taking Phoebe with him.

Oh. He left quite a bit of blood in there.

Are there any bandages around here? I kinda need some, if you couldn't tell.

He really hoped he wasn't losing too much blood to affect his ability to really do much of anything within a matter of hours.*

limitless-liminals

He matches his nervous laugh with one of his own but he doesn’t relax. No, he stayed frigid as he stares with the bird with a level of admiration, terror, and confusion not fit for a pigeon. He glances back to Noel with a furrowed brow and an unspoken question.

“No, no…it’s good. You’re good.”

He physically has to shake his head to reset his mind before climbing into the dumpster. The chaos was picking up around them after all and he didn’t seem to mind the blood too much as he balled himself up.

And to answer your question, there are bandages around here but I’m not allowed to provide you with any.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks Phoebe to his chest, grabbing the lid and slamming it shut when he's confident the other man is fully in the dumpster. And if he was a threat, then... well, Noel had a gun. He also wasn't afraid to use his teeth.

He offers a strange look back at the man's own strange look at the pigeon.

What's his problem with Phoebe? Does he want to eat her? Should I be worried? Did you lie to me before?

The thoughts come in a panicked flurry. He may be able to control what gets through, but he can't control the emotion that comes with them. He's always hated that. The King would take advantage of it when he didn't have the ability to speak, when his face was too swollen for his lips to work, when his tongue was torn out and shoved down his throat.

He takes a breath. Stop thinking about the King. He couldn't let himself get distracted here.*

"Got a name? Or somethin' to call you by?"

*He keeps his voice just barely below a whisper.

You got a name, too?

Might as well know what to call his captor while he's getting names.*

limitless-liminals

The man looked between the bird and you with a furrowed brow, still trying to put some pieces together. Despite that, he was still missing plenty of other pieces that would complete this puzzle.

He had to shake his head again, remembering that he had to respond, “My name is Simon. What’s yours?”

And as for myself, there’s no need for a name. You can call me Narrator one if you wish, or just Narrator. The other voice you hear is called Kiki.

Your other questions are up to you to find out. I will tell you that I don’t tend to be a liar though. I suppose that may be hard to believe for someone like you though.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a scowl at that last comment. "Someone like him"? What was that supposed to mean?! Sure, he had some trouble believing things to be real, but there's reasoning behind it!!

Whatever. Whatever! It didn't matter. He takes a steady breath. He automatically goes to answer as "Charlie," but stops. Dammit, Arthur and John were really getting in his head. He needed to tell them to stop calling him that. It wasn't good for him, no matter how good it felt.*

"Noel."

*He goes to hold his hand out to shake, but pulls his hand back relatively fast. He didn't know if this place had the same greeting customs as back home.

After a moment of confused staring, he cautiously holds Phoebe towards him. She's unbothered by the movement.*

"You ever see a pigeon before?"

*There was a hint of amusement in his voice, but his grip on her was firm. If Simon decided Phoebe was a delicious snack that was only a couple feet away, then he'd get a shoe to the face and Phoebe would be back at his chest. She seemed to trust him, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon nearly goes to shake his hand before raising an eyebrow in confusion at him pulling it back. That was a bit rude but okay…his hands weren’t that gross.

“Nice to meet you,” he nodded, flinching as there was another loud bang.

He was too focused on that, that when presented with the feathered creature, he nearly had a heart attack. Simon froze and shuffled backwards until he was pressed against the side of the dumpster.

“Pi-geon…? Is…is that a pigeon? How do you know what to call it?”

So, clearly the answer was no.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls Phoebe back at Simon's terror of her with a confused smile.*

"Uh... Yeah. She's a pigeon. I know 'cause I live in New York City and they're everywhere...?"

*He chuckles.*

"Have you seriously never seen a pigeon before?"

*He holds her out again. What if this guy was from a timeline where pigeons didn't exist? Or were just a myth? Or... Dead? Why wouldn't pigeons exist??? That didn't make sense to him.*

"She ain't gonna hurt you, at least not on purpose. I should probably shave down her claws at some point, but it won't draw blood."

*The bird in question tilts her head to stare at Simon with a singular eye. She lets out a little rumbly coo.*

"...Actually, I don't think she's ever bit me. She's real docile for a bird that just showed up at my doorstep one day."

limitless-liminals

Simon was frigid, the only motion being one where he pushed his back further into the cool metal. If he hadn’t had thick fabric on, it would’ve been a nice contrast to his clammy skin. If he had a shirt underneath, he would’ve taken it off due to how much the combination of the heat in the garbage and his own nerves was causing him to sweat.

“New York City? That place is long gone.”

What the fuck was happening to him? The only remnants of New York City was what got documented and what information has been carried through oral tradition.

“And no, I’ve never seen a pigeon. It’s not normal to be greeted by a holy being due it just…arriving on your doorstep. You shouldn’t be treating her like a pet.”

Dear God, he was sorry for doubting you because what was THAT?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's dumbfounded. Absolutely dumbfounded.*

"You're jokin', right?"

*He had to be, because he was in the city just a few... Well, he didn't know how long he'd been gone, but he was there!! Recently!! And "holy being"? What??????*

"She's... She's like a rat with wings, doll. If she could eat somethin' she's gonna eat it. That's all pigeons. They're far from holy."

*He looks around for a moment.*

"Frankly, if this thing weren't empty, I'm sure she'd be stuffing her little beak with everything she can."

*Hey Narrator? Could you tell him that pigeons are... Normal? I guess? He's too freaked out and I'm not sure if I could calm him down with just words and shoving Phoebe in his face.*

limitless-liminals

I can not. My role is not to persuade but just to provide information. Telling him that would be cheating.

“No, I’m not joking. I’m saying this out of concern but I don’t think you know what you’re dealing with,” he’s seen enough angel imagery to envision it with his eyes closed.

“Just because it carries silly habits,” Simon glanced at Phoebe, “and forgive me for calling it silly, doesn’t mean she isn’t a higher power.”

Besides, he hardly understood that comparison anyways due to ignorance about rats.

aguidetothemultiverse

*What. Are you serious? Oh, you've got to be kidding him.

That is information. You're not persuading him of anything, you're just telling him that pigeons are normal...? At least this one. I think.

He really hopes that she's a normal pigeon. She hasn't really shown any signs of not being a normal pigeon. If she wasn't a normal pigeon, well... She seemed to like being treated like a normal pigeon.*

"I'm not gonna be able to convince you otherwise, will I?"

*He sets Phoebe in his lap and gently scratches around her eyes. She leans into the touch.*

"Well, whatever you believe, she seems to enjoy being treated like a regular old pigeon. Eats seeds, flies around, coos at me when she wants food, shits in my hat, coos at me some more just for the sake of it. You know, regular old pigeon stuff."

*He keeps scratching her for a moment more. Then stops. He holds her up again.*

"She likes being scratched between her eyes and little ear holes, you know. She'll tilt her head so you could scratch better, even."

limitless-liminals

Pigeons being normal is an opinion. I’m not meant to provide opinions like that. My job is not to argue, just to blend into the background in most cases. Saying that would just begin a conflict I’m not meant to participate in. I’m simply following the rules.

“I don’t know…” He narrowed his eyes, examining the bird closer. “I don’t really have ‘pigeons’ back on Eden…but if she wants to be treated like a normal pigeon, whatever that means, then I won’t deny her.”

He had doubted religion for a long time. It began early but maybe Simon had to reevaluate. It wasn’t as if being taken here has another explanation.

He stared at the pigeon, reaching his hand out, pulling it back, before finally scratching in the spot Noel described.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Eden? Like the garden? From the bible? Was this guy hyper-religious to the point of never seeing a pigeon? Christ...

Well, he could ask questions later. Phoebe was overjoyed at the prospect of a new person. She wrestled her way out of Noel's hands, hopping into Simon's lap and cooing happily. She waltzed around in a small circle before shoving her face back into Simon's hand, awaiting scritches.*

"Looks like she likes you!"

*He chuckles softly at her excitement. She was a goofy little thing. Hold on.

What's Eden? Just the information on it, not opinions.*

simon-thebutcher

Simon sucked in a sharp breath of air as Phoebe hopped onto his laps. His hands floated in the air around him, unsure of what to do before cautiously scratching the same spot as before.

He mumbled something inaudible to Noel but with a tone between confusion and dread. His eyes matched those emotions with eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m glad…” deep breath. “She’s…soft.”

And why don’t you ask him instead? Get to know each other.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a frown again.

Thanks a lot.*

"So, uh... Mind tellin' me what Eden is? Got somethin' to do with the bible?"

*He probably shouldn't throw a barrage of questions at him. But who could blame him for being just a teensy bit curious about the guy who lived somewhere without pigeons who thought they were angels. Pigeons as angels. Sky rats. Equated to angels. There's very clearly something going on here, and it was not normal.*

"You don't gotta, it'll just give me a better grasp of your... Perception of Phoebe."

*How could someone expect another person to treat a pigeon like an angel? That was insane!

Phoebe was having a great time with Simon, though. She nestled into him for a second, then walked around in an excited circle, then bobbed her head up and down, then did it all over again. He really hoped she wouldn't bite him to grab his attention at some point, it might just scare the poor guy away.*

limitless-liminals

He gradually settled down but he instead concentrated his worry on chewing the dead skin off of his lip. Simon watched the bird with the degree of interest a child would upon seeing their favorite cartoon. He couldnt help but snicker a bit at the movements, petting her head again. At the very least, he was quickly getting a tad more used to her.

He had an expression Noel could recognize from a mile away as he described it: longing.

“Ah, Eden is my home. It’s named after the place in the Bible, yes. It used to be a Mars space station, the first human colony beyond earth, before The Quiet Rapture happened and now there’s no Mars. I sometimes wish we had more, sure, but it was home.”

He didn’t understand how Noel didn’t know that already but something was clearly amiss here.

“…how’s New York City?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's utterly dumbfounded. Mars. The fucking planet. This guy made it off Earth. And he lived there. And "The Quiet Rapture"? What the fuck was that??*

"Mars..."

*He couldn't help but blurt it out. His mind was racing. He was speaking with a human from space. He's never done that before! He scrambles for his notebook and quickly jots down "Universe 35 - Eden's home", underlining it few times. Underneath he writes. "Met a guy who used to live on Mars! Now he just lives... out there? I guess?" He underlines "Mars" a few times for emphasis. Because... wow.*

"Uh... Right, New York. It's-"

*This guy's probably never been to Earth. That's why he doesn't know what a pigeon is.*

"Big. To put it simply."

*How does he explain New York City to someone who's never been to Earth??*

"Uh. It's loud. Real loud. Lotta people call it the "City that Never Sleeps", and they're not really lyin' about it. People are always doing something at any hour of the day. All year round."

*Christ, what else can he say? Well. Pigeons. He gestures to Phoebe.*

"Pigeons are everywhere. She's a great example of one. One of the bigger ones that I've seen around, but I've absolutely seen bigger. There's also always some sorta light on. It... can kinda be like a maze if you haven't been there before, but you get the hang of it over time."

*He felt like he was advertising it. There was really no good way to explain the City, especially to someone who'd never been to an Earth city before. But even if they have been to Earth, it was still hard to explain.*

"The buildings are real tall. Call 'em skyscrapers 'cus they touch the sky. And all of them are basically touching, wall to wall. You mix that with the amount of people and you've barely got any room to breathe."

*He chuckles. He kinda missed it, the ability to just... Blend in with the crowd, not get as many strange looks for the large scar that ran across his face, feel like a ghost in a graveyard. Where he was meant to be.

Sure, a break from the crowds was nice, but he preferred not feeling so exposed like this. In one way or another.*

"But, back to you. What's the 'Quiet Rapture'? Is it some War that I should be prepared for in the future?"

*He laughs. It's strained.

Please say no. He couldn't go through another one of those. He couldn't lose his friends again.*

limitless-liminals

Simon glanced back up at him and just sorta…stared. He was trying to put two and two together on why it was so shocking and…why in the world is he writing this down? I mean, they documented stuff on Eden but they didn’t feel the need to document stuff that should be basic knowledge.

His confusion only worsened upon your description as he nodded slowly, trying to picture it in his head. Simon was likely way off but it was better than nothing. It wasn’t as though he had much reference for living spaces that size nor that many people clumped together.

“That’s…woah…weird, but impressive.”

Without realizing, he had stopped petting Phoebe, to which he mumbled an apology for before continuing.

“During the Quiet Rapture, we don’t really know why but all stars and habitable planets just disappeared. There’s space ships and some moons left, sure, but nothing that’s as abundant as Earth’s materials,” he sighed. “I was born after it happened so I can’t give you much besides what I’ve been told.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Maybe I should try drawing it for him... What do you think of that? Or is that too opinionated for you?

He stifles a mischievous little chuckle at that.

As he's taking in the new information about Simon's universe, writing along as fast as he can, Phoebe decides to explore this new person. If he was going to stop petting her, it was her turn to figure this guy out! She clambers up his shirt until she makes it to his shoulder. She tilts her head a few times at his hair (it looked much softer than Noel's, he had to admit).

Then, she plucked a hair from his head, feeling it in her beak. Noel lets out a yelp when he spots her doing this.*

"Hey! Phoebe! You don't need his hair for nesting!! I'll getcha some other stuff!"

*He taps her on the beak lightly, but made sure to have enough force to reprimand her. Nothing that would hurt, if anything, she'd just be annoyed by it.*

"We just met the guy! Be nice!"

*She bites his finger. He frowns at her.*

limitless-liminals

Draw it if you’d like. I’m not stopping you. I think that’s a good way to present information.

Simon was like a statue whenever she explored. He stared with much more fear and uncertainty than what was appropriate for a pigeon. The only reaction she earned was a sharp inhale from her plucking.

Once Noel reacted so freely though, he raised his voice slightly, “Hey, be respectful!”

A crash echoed outside the dumpster right after he spoke.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He slowly holds his hands up in a show of mercy, staring in the direction of the noise. He didn't hurt her...? She was fine. She actually went back to plucking some strands of Simon's hair out, tossing them in Noel's direction.

Also. Did he do that? Or did something hear them? *

"She's not bein' very respectful."

*He grabs her from Simon's shoulder, setting her in his own lap.*

"You're just doin' that to do it, ya little rascal."

*She wrestles out of his grip before settling between the two men. She ignores the couple of strands of hair she pulled from Simon's head, only further proving Noel's point. She then starts to preen herself.*

"She doesn't care, anyway. I do that to her all the time. Hell, I throw her and she enjoys it. A little tap to the nose is probably more playful than reprimanding."

*He grimaces. He should probably find a better form of training her, then...*

limitless-liminals

“She can do whatever she would like,” he scoffed.

Simon allowed her to pluck as much hair as she liked and stared with fascination at the simple act of preening. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. He didn’t have any reference for why she would do that in the first place nor why she needed hair.

But who was he to protest?

Simon plucked out a chunk more of his hair and set it down in front of Phoebe.

“I don’t think she needs reprimanded.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of accepting the clump of hair, she whacks him with her wing as Noel puts his hands up in a panic.*

"Woah, woah, woah! Let's- Let's not tear your whole scalp off for her, alright?"

*He takes Simon's hands and places them in his lap.*

"If she's gonna take your hair, it's gonna be of her own doing. She doesn't really like it when people get hurt. Unless she's the one causing it, I guess."

*He drops his voice to a murmur for that last bit. Simon didn't need to know how much of a hypocrite this bird was. That was for Noel and Phoebe on their own.*

"I let her do most things mosta the time anyway. She could at least be polite to strangers."

*He ruffles the feathers on the top of her head, putting on a voice like one would use to talk to a puppy while speaking to her.*

"Hear that? Be polite, ya little rat!"

*She coos in response, biting his finger playfully. He chuckles softly with a tiny "ow, what the hell, Pheeb?" and a smile on his face.*

limitless-liminals

Simon flinches in surprise, not expecting that reaction. He blinked and stared between the two, assessing the level of danger. Noel seemed to be okay but the ‘pigeon’ was an element that couldn’t be considered as simply. No, he had to tread on thin ice.

“It’s not that much hair, it’s alright…but if she doesn’t want me to, I won’t. I was just trying to help.”

His confusion only increases with the exchange that those two shared, “And she’s just okay with this?”

Anyhow, how long are you two just going to sit here talking?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls his hands away from Phoebe's face, who immediately goes to waddle back into his lap. He gestures to her.*

"Seems it to me."

*He chuckles a little at her. His stupid pigeon. To think that he tried to get rid of her at first.

And then he sighs, closing his eyes. He briefly thinks to appreciate Arthur for his ability to hold a straight face most of the time.*

"Is the narrator also trying to get you out of the dumpster? Even though she, uh, you know, told me to come in here?"

*There's a twinge of anger in his voice, but he smiles with it. It's a very strained smile.*

"Oh, also, didn't you just hear some rubble outside? Or was that just me?"

*Passive aggression, what a tool. His favorite, even. Maybe he was a bit light on the "passive" part of it, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon smiled at the bird’s behavior, finally settling into the existence of her at the very least. She seemed to be happy from his first impression, so who was he to judge? That wasn’t his role in existence.

“Uh, they never told me to jump into here but they’re also not telling me to get out? They’ve been quite quiet for me. Are they not quiet for you…? I don’t even have a label like you do.”

Another crash hit outside, louder, angry.

“But yeah, I’ve been hearing everything crashing.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He can feel his eye twitch.*

"No, no, they've been talkin' back and forth with me for a bit. Asked us how long we were going to sit here and chat for."

*He glares at the roof of the dumpster.*

"Come on, now that I'm acknowledging you, you don't wanna say anything?"

*He sighs, turning his attention back to Simon.*

"If you think really loud in sentences, it can be a back and forth conversation. Well, back and forth if I can get a response at all."

*He was very tired of this. The not-his pain was starting to make him a bit woozy. It was probably blood loss.*

"Could you tell me what's makin' the ruckus outside yet or is the answer to that still no?"

*He crosses his arms, letting his back fall against the side of the dumpster as he awaits a response from the Narrator.*

limitless-liminals

“Really? I haven’t gotten anything like that.”

He paused for a moment, trying to think really hard like Noel instructed. It wasn’t an elaborate message, just a simple hello, an attempt to reach out. I responded back with a hello despite my discomfort.

To be frank with you, I don’t respond to you when I’m addressed because I don’t exactly like being addressed. That’s not my role. I’d enjoy it if you quit.

If you’re gonna keep asking, you’re gonna get similar replies though. If you wish to find out that information, go explore for yourself.

“What’s she saying to you? I just got a hello.”

aguidetothemultiverse

"Okay. Okay, sure..."

*He says it breathless, tired, done. He presses the balls of his palms into his eyes, tilts his head back, and groans.*

"Saying she doesn't like being addressed and that we should 'explore for ourselves'..."

*He drops his hands, glances at his wounded foot, then looks to the lid of the dumpster.*

"I'd personally rather be safe and sent home."

*There's some bite to his words now.*

"But sure, whatever. I'll go exploring. Hey, maybe I'll die! Wouldn't that be a fun narration?"

*Full bite. He shifts Phoebe to his shoulder, who is none the wiser and nestles into him. Just as he's about to push the top open, he pauses. When he speaks, none of that vitriol is there anymore. Just that sweet talking, New York accented voice.*

"Pain is different here, by the way. It doesn't feel like its on your body, but it's still there. Real weird. Just wanted to warn ya."

*And he hops out. He has to stifle a grunt of pain when he lands, not just from his foot, but in general. He was getting too old to be doing this sorta thing.*

limitless-liminals

I’ve narrated quite a few deaths. Some are more entertaining than others but only one have I had any direct influence on. I control your senses. I’d watch what you say.

“Honestly, this place very well may be better than home,” Simon grumbled.

He hesitated a second before following after you, not enjoying the idea of death. It certainly wasn’t a sweat taste on his tongue.

“That’s…odd,” he stared at Noel’s foot. “I’ll take it that’s how you found that out?”

Another crash. A building a few feet away crumbling to bits.

“We should get that bandages somehow…”

aguidetothemultiverse

*You're so reassuring! I love being here! I would also like to remind you that I figured out how to block you out of my head, so do with that what you will, doll.

He's already limping towards the crumbling building with his pistol in hand and a scowl on his face when Simon begins to follow. His scowl drops pretty quickly, morphing into a tired look when he turns towards the other man.*

"Yeah, unfortunately. Wanted to check how real things were, and, well... Got some information."

*He chuckles, trying to lighten the mood a little. Or just bring up his own spirits. He was tired of dealing with the Narrator's bullshit.*

"And... uh, yup. That was the goal. Asked for them a few times, even asked to be led to some, I think. Look where we are."

*He gestures to the blood trail he was leaving. It was weird seeing it with the feeling.*

limitless-liminals

I also control where you end up, doll. This location is quite favorable compared to a few others. I could just as easily send you there as I did here. Whether or not I can access your thoughts means little to me.

The man didn’t laugh, no, it was just a concerned gaze, “So, you shot yourself in the foot? Hold on, let’s pause here real quick.”

Simon placed a hand in the man’s chest to get him to stop. Fortunately, there wasn’t any other major crashing or footsteps. The streets were decorated with evidence of the chaos, buildings blocking paths and rubble piling up high.

He took his knife out of his harness and cut the bottom section of his sweater off in one long strip, careful not to slice himself in the process. Then, he kneeled down and glanced up to Noel, asking for him to raise his foot so he could wrap it easier.

“It’s not great but it’s something for now.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*His breathing stuttered when Simon's fingers grazed his chest. Every muscle in his body went rigid. He felt himself stumble back a few steps, but couldn't stop his body from doing it. He felt separated. He couldn't even properly come up with a witty response for the Narrator.

He was back in the Dreamlands. Screaming. Wailing. Pleading. Begging. Anything. It burned. Get it off. Get it off! Please! He'll do anything!

Then provide information? He didn't have that, though! He didn't have anything! Surely he could see that! He had stripped him bare!

Where was the fragment? He had no clue! He swore! He could never know! He didn't even-

His skin was not his own anymore. He was not a person anymore.

The bird on his shoulder whacked him with a wing. Someone else's hands scooped her up. Fingers feeling feathers. Lungs expand.

The feeling of his surroundings were returning. It felt like walking into a warm building after being in the freezing cold for hours, no, days on end. Phoebe was in his hands. She was cooing at him. He was staring at her.

He lets out the breath he didn't know he was holding.*

"Fuck."

*His voice shakes. He lets his eyes flutter shut. He presses Phoebe to his forehead. His heart was racing. But Phoebe was warm. She was heavy. She was in his hands. His hands. Because he had hands. And he was himself.

He waited for his heart to slow. It would only cause his bloodloss to be worse. He needed to calm down. Because it was fine. Nothing happened. It was just a touch.*

limitless-liminals

Simon froze and backed up, staring at you with wide eyes. His pupils flickered over every bit of your form. From face to toes, he was trying to decipher what happened.

It didn’t take long to figure out, after all, he’s seen this kind of reaction before. Hell, he’s seen it in himself unfortunately. It didn’t mean he knew what to do other than just sit there though.

*He earned that,* Kiki grumbled.

It’s nice to see you again.

Anyhow, he was beyond grateful for the pigeon being able to aid in place of him. He stared back down at his foot though, make-shift bandage in hand.

“Sorry, I just needed to bandage your foot,” he grumbled, shoulders tense.

aguidetothemultiverse

It’s getting quite hot out here, is it not? I’m going to have to switch to my summer clothes soon! If you would be so kind, dear, what is Noel doing on this sweltering afternoon?

@limitless-liminals

*He's been hanging around the infirmary, staying close by Arthur and John's side, monitoring his healing. His guilt was eating him up. Any time Phoebe lost a feather, he'd pick it up and fiddle with it until it practically fell apart, much to Phoebe's dismay. She was trying to nest out of those!! On Arthur's chest!!! And he was taking her nesting materials!!*

limitless-liminals

A knock rang through the infirmary from the door but when he turned, there would be no one there. What was there instead was an ethereal, white feather that glittered in the sterile lights as it floated down from the top of the doorway.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tenses immediately. He stares suspiciously at the feather. No. Nope. Not doing that.

He grabs Phoebe and sets her to his chest. She would not be the reason he gets into another eldritch mess, she would not be getting hurt by another eldritch being. Nope.

But, God, his curiosity was killing him. He wanted to know what was up with this. Why a feather? Why a feather when he just got attached to this bird?? What was trying to lure him? Where was it trying to lure him?*

limitless-liminals

Plop.

It was a wet splotch as it hit the tile and it sounded as though it dropped into a puddle that never was there. The shape was round, a perfect sphere roughly the size of a marble, white with another circle colored with— It was an eyeball.

*Yikes! People typically need those, don’t you think? Well, unless you’re like our buddy Arthur here who conveniently has a John to keep him company.*

The narrator spoke in a cheerful tone within his head, a sing-song lilt in each syllable with a poorly hidden giggle. Their voice was fairly androgynous, maybe a tad masculine if you squint, but it was fairly young if Noel had to guess.

*Aw, thank you for the compliment! I don’t consider myself that young but I’m glad I still have my sparkle. Oh! Shoot, Noel, you can’t hear the other voice, can you? I’m sorry for the confusion, I’ll quiet down!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He grimaces.*

"Goddammit... Not again..."

*His voice shakes. He was so tired. He was so fucking tired. He didn't want to hear any more voices. The King was bad enough in the Dreamlands, then there was Aamon, and now this?!

He glanced around nervously. Maybe other people could see this. Maybe other people could hear this. Maybe it wasn't just him being greeted by whatever this was.

That or he had finally lost it. Maybe he really went cooky this time. He knew he'd snap at some point, but frankly, he was expecting a bit more time until then.

...Was any of this real? Did he just... Die at the Order and this is... What, his brain making something up to ease him into death? This wasn't a fun way to be eased into death. He'd assume that his brain would pick something nicer. Maybe the real Noel, or Roland. Hey, maybe both. Of course, Arthur and John would be there, too.

Ugh, stay focused, Dowd! This thing can speak in his head, he shouldn't be getting distracted!!*

limitless-liminals

*Huh, not again? Does this specific stuff happen to you a lot? I know someone who has a repeating scenario happen every two days! Is it like that?*

Dear, as much as I love your enthusiasm, let’s stick to the plot.

*Oh! Right, the plot. So sorry. I need to stop getting side tracked.*

The eye began rolling toward Noel, each time sounding like it was in an ocean of viscous liquid that never was there. The floor remained as dry as it typically was.

aguidetothemultiverse

"N-No- No, no! We're not doing this!"

*He places Phoebe on Arthur's cot, pulling his pistol out and pointing it at the eye. He stands on the chair to get more distance.*

"Stay back!! I'm not- I'll shoot!!"

limitless-liminals

*Huh? Thats not me. Thats just an eye, silly!*

It stopped rolling and the feather began flying through the air as if on wind that didn’t exist in the infirmary. It made circles before looping back around and weaving through the air in various zig zags.

The eye only watched.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He cowers away from the feather, aiming his gun at the both of them.*

"Leave me alone!!"

*He was shaking. He needed to stop doing that. It was happening too much. He just needed to calm down. Maybe this was all fake. Maybe this was a dream. Hey, this would be wonderful if it were a dream. He'd just need to wake up.

...He could shoot his foot to wake himself up. Ehh, that should probably be a last resort thing.*

limitless-liminals

*What was next on the itinerary?*

The sound of rummaging through papers could be heard as I try to search for the list. Typically, I was more organized than this but with all the new information they’ve been giving out, it was nearly impossible.

*Take your time!*

Found it! Okay, Noel needs to…I probably shouldn’t say this where the viewers can see. Come closer to me so you can read it.

*hmmm….got it! Noel, honey, let’s put the gun down.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What?? No! He'd never do that!! He wasn't giving in! He's never given in before, he wasn't planning on starting now!!*

"Do you think I'm an idiot??"

*He shoots a glance at Phoebe. If this damn bird goes over to any of what's happening right now, he swears he'll be having roasted pigeon for dinner.*

"And don't call me honey. You're not gonna win me over with sweet words."

limitless-liminals

*A little, yeah, there’s not really avoiding this part. We kind of need it for the plot.*

The feather floated directly onto Arthur’s chest, not moving any more once it situated directly in the center. The eyeball just watched, pupil going wherever movement did.

*Actually, hold on, I think the rules got revised for what was allowed in there.*

More rummaging of paper.

*Oh! Nevermind, you can keep your gun. I’m sorry.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Phoebe eyes the feather curiously. It would work wonderfully in her little nest here... She took a step towards it and was almost immediately scooped up by Noel. He presses her against his chest and she lets out a shocked coo.*

"Leave me alone! I've got no information for ya! I've got nothin'!"

limitless-liminals

*…Why would I care for information? I got all the info I need!*

The sound of a pen scratching on paper could be heard followed the sound of footsteps. My lover hums gently as she reads over the words. Her voice-

*AHHHH! HOLY SHIT, ARTHUR! OH NO, OH NO, OH NO. THE FEATHER. YOU GOT TO DISPOSE OF IT. GET IT AWAY. BURN IT OUTSIDE. ITS THE ONLY WAY! GET UP! GET UP! FUCK, WAKE UP!*

…Okay, maybe it didn’t need to be that loud. Ouch.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He winces at the sudden increase in volume. When she quiets down, he leans forward and blows it off of Arthur's chest. Someone else could go and burn it. He was done leaving Arthur and John's side. He wasn't doing that again. They needed him, at least for now. At least while vulnerable like this.*

limitless-liminals

*Bud, you better go and light that feather on fire! I could stick you in a really horrible level if I—*

—I love the enthusiasm, honey, but let’s tone it down. Let’s turn to the collective vote of the viewers at home to see if we have the permission to skip over the process we had written down! He may end up in another level than what was planned but hey, who doesn’t love some improv?

Mumbling filled every corner of the room, seeping in from where we came from. I always hate how our worlds will bleed together but it’s inevitable.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He shudders, but doesn't budge. Whatever a "level" was, it didn't mean anything to him currently. If it was meant to be a meaningful threat, it really wasn't. He didn't even have a lighter!!*

"Come up with a better threat, doll."

*He tried to ignore the mumbling. It wasn't anything too out of the norm while encountering gods, so it was to be expected. It didn't make it any less unsettling, though. His ears always strained to understand what was being said, even if he didn't want to.

He held Phoebe a little closer to his chest. This thing couldn't do much to this world without his input, could it? And if it could, well, it hadn't yet. Just sounded like a challenge to him, so how much he could piss them off before some shit started happening.*

limitless-liminals

*The votes are in! Drum roll please!*

The sound of pit-patter covered up the mumbling as people slapped their legs repeatedly.

*WE’RE STICKING TO THE PLAN! For now at least…I quite like the idea we had going with this one.*

The feather blew back onto Arthur’s chest with some unnatural current of wind except this time, it didn’t settle there. It began trying to push through his lips and down his throat, easily going halfway there.

*And for your information, that was a great threat! You’re just dumb.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His eyes widen and he jumps to grab the feather, but stops a couple of inches away. Instead of just grabbing it, he wriggles his arm down his sleeve and grabs it, throwing it across the room. Of course, it's a feather, so things don't go exactly according to plan, but it's out of his grasp almost the second it was in it.*

"Tell me why it's good, then."

*He glares at the eyeball on the floor. A thought crosses his mind. He walks over to it and holds his foot above the organ. He goes quiet, listening.*

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see!*

Her voice was playful and more of a song than speaking as she held out the last syllable.

The feather complied with your action, remaining on the floor. We don’t have too much use for it anymore considering your lack of compliance.

The eyeball just watched. Unblinking.

*It doesn’t exactly have eye lids to blink with.*

Eh, you get the point.

*Squashing that thing won’t do much good for you though!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He frowns.*

"What'll happen? Why shouldn't I?"

*He shifts his grip on Phoebe. She felt real... Right?"

limitless-liminals

*You know what, now I don’t want to tell you anymore.*

Phoebe felt as real as she did before. The other objects were a different story. Your eyes began to develop a slight hazey filter over anything else you saw. Your only anchor was the pigeon.

aguidetothemultiverse

tw self harm

*His face goes blank. Oh. Okay. Uh. Cool.

He takes a couple of shaky steps away from the eye. Then points his pistol at his foot.

Without an ounce of hesitation, he pulls the trigger.*

limitless-liminals

*Yowch!*

It didn’t feel real.

The pain didn’t come as it typically would.

No, you felt it distantly with the same hazey filter.

Did it ever truly happen?

Maybe, you need to shoot again?

*I’ll take over the description then. Her voice had a hidden smile in its tone, barely contained by any attempts to relax back to the continuous monotone.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He felt dizzy. No... No. He's done this so many times. Did... He couldn't... No, no, no, no!

He drops the bird, or whatever it was, and falls to his knees. He curls his arms around his head.

And he screams.

Because he can't be back. There was no way. There was no way that these past two years have all been fake. It wasn't possible. He's shot his foot enough times to know that, but now? How now? When did the King get access to him again? And now he knew where that other half was?

So he screams. This was it. He was going to die. This was how he died. He couldn't do it again. It'd either be by his own hands or the King's, but either way, he was dying.

His screams quickly bled into sobs. He couldn't do this. He couldn't do this again.*

limitless-liminals

Ouch, my eardrums!

*You don’t even have those!*

Okay, but it’s a phrase! How am I meant to narrate in these conditions!

*Uh, uh, uh! I don’t know! Make him shut up!*

I hold my hands over my ear holes and I feel the road of my eye shake as I try to regulate myself. I never took fondly to loud noise and— CAN YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY OR I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL DROP YOU IN THE WORST CIRCUMSTANCES YOU CAN THINK OF! I WAS THINKING OF LETTING YOU WARM UP TO THE WHOLE PLACE BUT NOOOO, YOU HAVE TO SCREECH LIKE A BABY!

*…Three deep breathes*

…The sound of breathing can be heard.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tries to follow along with the sound of breathing, even if it wasn't for him, but he can't catch his breath. Tears flow freely from his eyes.

He can't do this again. He can't! He barely made it out alive last time! And Phoebe!! What would she do without him!!

He felt like a child. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go home with his Ma and Pa and curl up in their arms and never deal with this again.*

limitless-liminals

I don’t care. We’re skipping the pretenses to this. I’m done. I’ve had enough. We’re—

BOOOOOOOOOO

SHUT UP, SHUT THE FUCK UP! I DONT CARE WHAT THE VIEWERS WANT. YOURE LUCKY TO HAVE A GODDAMN SHOW. I DONT HAVE TO LIVE STREAM THIS.

*Uh, babe…turn around…*

What? What are you talking about? I— AGHHMMMMTGGGPPGHGGGGGGGG

*…Click…her mic has been muted…I- uh….gods, okay…I guess it’s just you and me now, big guy!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He only curls up more at the voice, shaking violently. He couldn't catch his breath. He couldn't stop sobbing. He couldn't he couldn't he couldn't he couldn't-

Phoebe? Was she still here? Where was his bird? He needed her right now. Where was she? Was she as scared as he was? He couldn't see. He couldn't think. Where was his bird?*

limitless-liminals

*Your bird is where you’d find her typically. Nothing happened to her. Nothing would happen to her.*

Her voice is shaky and uncertain. She moves away from the mic every so often, checking her surroundings, before going back to narrating.

*Lets…okay, please, for both of our sakes, follow my instructions, okay? Please. It will come for me too.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*One hand goes to clamp over his mouth, the other reaching for Phoebe, who immediately presses into him. He has to stifle a wail.

He curls around her, letting his tears drip onto her feathers. He gasps. Air. He needed air. Maybe they could help him get air.

He nods. Okay. Okay, they could maybe help him, even if they got him into this mess.*

limitless-liminals

*okay, okay, thank you, I appreciate it. Just…you see that tile that to the right of the door? I need you to stand on that. You can take the bird with you, I don’t care, you just gotta do that.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He nods again. He just... needed to catch his breath first. Everything was spinny. Deep breath. In and out. It was fine. He shifted the hand from his mouth to Phoebe, feeling her feathers.

Walk over to the tile. That's all he needed to do. The first step was get his feet underneath him. Okay, he could do that. He planted his feet on the floor and-

Oh. That was... disorientating. His pain immediately got more intense, but... was it even his own pain? When he stood up, his leg almost gave out. It was probably his pain. Oh, he hated this. He hated this so much. This was just like the Dreamlands. Oh, he was going to vomit.

No, he had a task. Stay focused, Dowd!!

He hobbled (because that's what it was, his foot was almost dragging behind him) over to the tile, Phoebe held tightly in his arms. He stands on it.

God, he felt like a kid, holding Phoebe like she was a stuffed animal, tears pouring from his eyes. He couldn't even stop it if he tried.*

limitless-liminals

She cleared her throat. *Lock in*

*As soon as your foot hit the tile, the solid ground gave no support as that portion of you just continued slipping down

and down

and down

Down

Down and—

Someone’s leg shouldn’t be able to go this far without the other one following. Actually, the floor shouldn’t seem like nothing more than an illusion in the first place but here we are.*

*The sense of falling was immense and took over every alarm bell but other than the one limb sending those signals, everything else was normal. Your eyes told you that you were planted on the ground. Your other leg was planted on the ground. You weren’t actually falling yet.*

*Itd make the most sense to say the falling leg was extending in order to keep you upright, like some cartoon logic, but none of your nerves sent those signals. The limb was distinctly yours, untouched and unaltered.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*That didn't stop him from getting dizzy by it. He went to take a step away, but stumbled, falling straight on his ass. He clutched Phoebe a little tighter, who lets out a surprised coo.*

"What the fuck?!"

*He felt so sick. Ever since this all started, he felt unbelievably sick. He screwed his eyes shut and tilted his head to the side. Phoebe let out an alarmed coo in response. She rumbles and flaps her wings, trying to get his attention.*

"Phee- Pheeb, just- It's okay- Fuck-"

*He takes a shaky breath, trying to push the nausea that was quickly creeping up on him away.*

limitless-liminals

*…Okay, maybe hop in this time…That way you aren’t just sorta…standing there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His breathing starts to pick up again.*

"How do I-"

*Breathe, Charlie. He'll be okay. He's been through worse. It'll be okay.*

"How do I know that this won't kill me?"

*He needed to stop crying. He needed to breathe. He needed to relax. Panic never got him anywhere. Except keep him alive a few times. He just needed to school it in.*

limitless-liminals

*Trust me, bro? I don’t know. This itself won’t kill you but other stuff can. Let’s just….get back to the tile, okay?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*It takes a moment, but he nods.*

"...Okay..."

*He wanted a name for this thing. But that would have to wait. He shimmied closer to the tile. There was no way he was jumping with how strange his foot was feeling, so trying to position himself over it entirely would have to do.*

limitless-liminals

*Fortunately, that was enough to cause your whole body to phase through the tile. What arrived on the other side of the veil was a foggy, night sky with way too many stars and a plummeting descent to the concrete street below. Your body was roughly 20 yards off the ground.*

*Swallowing up every inch of the landscape were skyscrapers much like the ones you saw in New York, just a tad more futuristic than his era. Between each boxy building were alleyways, if you could call them that. They spanned a mere foot but typically sized dumpsters still remained, part of them stuck in the wall like a poorly placed video game object.*

*The streets, perfectly straight and lacking any potholes or signs of use overall, were vacant of any life. No children laughed at the park down the road, no one was performing street art, nor were there anyone walking in a crowded herd of bumping shoulders. Nothing that would make this city truly feel like a city. The only sign of home you got was the wafting scent of cigarettes.*

*The stoplights and crosswalks worked all the same though, going from red, to yellow, to green. A button near the crosswalk said “wait” in its robotic voice as though it had been pressed, followed but the walking symbol and the command to “walk”.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He curls around Phoebe as he falls, holding her as close as possible. He had to fight to not scream. He needed to be quiet. He didn't know where he was. He wanted to go home.

He doesn't move when he meets the ground, only curling up further and sobbing quietly. He didn't know what was happening. He was scared. He was oh, so scared.*

limitless-liminals

*Do you need a moment…? Medical assistance may- err- nevermind, I can’t give that.*

She looked over her shoulder for me

*Take a deep breath. You’ll be okay. Dont pigeons like the city or whatever?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't move. He doesn't lift his head up. He doesn't stand up. He stays curled up around Phoebe. She was letting out little annoyed coos, but wasn't trying to escape his grasp.*

"What do you- What do you want from me?"

*His voice was barely audible. There was a rasp to it, probably from the screaming and crying. It didn't feel raw, though.*

limitless-liminals

*……Let’s just keep on move, alright, hun? Give me something to narrate.*

aguidetothemultiverse

"No!"

*He whips his head up, glaring at the sky.*

"Tell me what you want from me!! I'll tell you if I could do it!!"

*He clenched his teeth. He could feel the golden tooth push into his gum. He would not go through that again.*

"And if I can't, what will you do?"

*His pained expression slowly morphed into something else. A strange smile spread across his face, the tears still flowing. And he laughed.*

"Torture me? Kill me?! Just tell me already! Rip the bandage off!!"

limitless-liminals

*I want you to keep moving. You can do that, can’t you? Limp around if you have to but keep moving.*

She looked over her shoulder again.

*…please.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He laughs a little harder.*

"I already said no! Tell me the truth! Tell me why you brought me here!"

*Phoebe squirms in his grasp.*

"Tell me what you want from me!!"

limitless-liminals

*How about no! And you should- OH, OH, NEVERMIND, YOU ACTUALLY REALLY NEED TO GET GOING. FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't comply. He tucks his legs to his chest, guarding Phoebe from the outside world, and stares at the sky. Waiting for an answer to his question.

And he wouldn't budge until he got it. He needed an explanation. He wasn't going to run if he didn't know what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing came.

*Damn, normally that works. Did evolution skip over the whole fight or flight thing with you? …Were you alive when they came up with evolution? Does the word make sense to you?….anyways!*

footsteps echoed through the confines of the city but not from anywhere on the ground. It came from the sky. Nothing in the air explained the noise but it circled all around her.

*…okayyoumightreallyneedtogetamoveon. IlltellyouwhatIwantlater.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He still doesn't budge. He. Wanted. His. Answer. He didn't believe those footsteps were real. He didn't. And if he got hurt, then he could take it. He's had worse. He'd been torn apart, head to toe, and got back up fine.

His heart was racing, though. His mind was whispering worries. He wouldn't let it win, though. He wouldn't run until he knew what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

*The footsteps only got louder and louder, vibrating the concrete with each bellowing step. Despite the being never putting a foot down on the ground, the noise of cracking concrete split through the eerie silence and chunks of it clattered around you in various sizes, from pebbles to bricks*

*Please, just…Move bit to the alley?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps violently at the debris, scrambling into the alley without a second thought. He pressed himself into the wall, tucking Phoebe away in his shirt. She protests a little, but only to stick her head out to see what was happening.

He shook and trembled, then glared at the sky. Could this thing hear his thoughts?

Hey, Jackass!

Come on, this has to work.

Tell me what you want from me!! I did what you asked, now tell me why you brought me here!*

limitless-liminals

*I can hear you, no need to yell or name call.* she giggled but it sounded stiff like an actor who’d never been properly told how to emote.

*….*

*Let’s check out the inside of the dumpster as I explain, yeah?*

The footsteps never stop. I thunder overhead like a vicious storm but I never once appear within your gaze. It’s hopeless to try.

*It wasn’t entirely up to me. I don’t know what they want but I’m just here to do what I gotta do. I liked your pigeon, so I maybe swayed the choice a bit.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What does Phoebe have to do with any of this? Couldn't you just have found another pigeon or something?

He cautiously shuffles over to the dumpster, eyeing it suspiciously.

What's in there? What do you want me to do with this??

He wasn't exactly in the mood for dumpster diving while his foot felt like this. Whatever this meant. All he really knew was that it wasn't pleasant and walking was a bit hard, so he clearly got injured. He didn't want it getting infected.*

limitless-liminals

*Have you seen her? She’s just so cute!*

*The open dumpster in front of you was eerily clean and shone with a brightness that didn’t match the dimness of the alleyway. The same hazy filter covered your vision from when you were falling, except this time it wasn’t as bad. The longer you lingered the worse the haze got as the scent of vinegar flooded your nostrils.*

*The green color of the water bottle blended in with the background of the dumpster as it sat perfectly upright. The only thing that stood out against the rest of the metal was the matte, black, plastic lid.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*...That... Still didn't seem very appealing. He didn't exactly feel like hurling his guts the second he saw his body stretch for the second time within a few minutes.

Where will that take me?

He wasn't exactly pleased about running for his life again. And fighting with this... being to get some basic answers while doing so? With some strange, Dreamlands-like logic?

...Why didn't he think of this before.

Kayne. Send me back to the Waylay. Arthur and John are going to panic. At least let me say goodbye.

Please. He didn't want to lose them yet. He wanted to go back to the Waylay.

The realization shocks him a little. Why go back there? With the many unknown dangers? Why not want to go home home?

...Because he didn't have a home anymore. Of course. He cringed at himself.

Wait, can you hear everything I'm thinking? Even the things I'm not thinking... Louder? I guess?

Say no. Please say no.*

limitless-liminals

*…You want me to say no, but I think we both know the answer is yes.* she awkwardly cleared her throat.

*Theres not really an “Off the air” button for you folks like there is for my partner and I. If you can think it, I can work my way into your mind…people usually don’t think about that and I get some…creative folks.*

*Anyways! Who is Kayne? And I don’t think that guy can bring you anywhere? That dumpster you may have to find out about though.*

*CRASH!*

*A block of concrete landed a foot away from your head, cracking the floor.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps away from the debris, stifling a yelp. Phoebe lets out a soft coo in response. He plants his hand over his beak.

Well, lucky for you, I've had practice.

That was all he needed. His mind went quiet. Eerily quiet. He's clearly done this before. They couldn't even read his expression.

He shuffled over to the dumpster. He put his hands on his hips. He stared at it blankly. His thoughts come back.

Do you not know where this goes?

His thoughts go silent again.*

limitless-liminals

*HEY, WHAT, THATS NOT FAIR! COME BACK!*

*The steps paused over head and alongside your thoughts going silent, so did the city. You could hear a pin drop and each breath carried farther on the wind than you might’ve been comfortable with.*

*And I know where that dumpster goes, thank you very much. The waterbottle is still in there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He smiles, raising an eyebrow.

Care to fill me in, doll?

Silence.

If not, I do quite enjoy the quiet...

He steps away from the dumpster, leaning on the opposite wall and staring up at the sky. Smiling. Cocky.*

limitless-liminals

*I actually…uhm…hold on…*

Shuffling papers filled the silence.

*…one second.*

More shuffling, frantic.

*So…this is awkward but I lost the paper…and I don’t know this area that well so…we can find out together?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His smile falls. He raises an eyebrow.

Silence.*

limitless-liminals

*…You just gonna stand there? I lost the paper. There’s not much I can do…*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't budge. Guess the answer was yes.*

limitless-liminals

*Damn, okay. I could really use my partner right now. They’d know where to find it…*

More scavenging and then a satisfied hum.

*Oh! Okay, found it. Let me read anddddddd….huh, that’s a surprise. So, it’s actually just a normal dumpster. Well, as normal as you can get around here.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of moving, he checks his wrist like he's checking a watch. He doesn't have a watch.*

limitless-liminals

*Did you hear me? It’s a normal dumpster! What more are you wantttinnnggggg.* she whined like a toddler having a tantrum.

*rude.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He taps his foot a few times, then pulls Phoebe out of his shirt, holding her under his arm like a pile of books.

Okay, well. If you're gonna be like that, what was the thing stomping around before?*

limitless-liminals

*Be like WHAT? I’m not being like anything. I’m just trying to have a dandy ol’ day and you’re— you know what, never mind. Fine, okay, the thing was—*

—No.

*…Something I can’t say.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Aaand silence.*

limitless-liminals

*Well, fuck you too. Have fun navigating this place alone.*

My stomping begun once again and with it, a storm of concrete hit the floor as buildings began to crumble and collapse.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stays quiet for a little longer. That is, until

Do you control that?

They're let back in. Fear is radiating off of him. He was able to mask all of that. The terror, the fear, the dread. He knew how to hide that.

The King trained him well.

He walks over to the dumpster. His fear spikes before easing a bit. Just water. A normal dumpster for this place. It would be fine.*

limitless-liminals

They won’t reply to you. No, you fucked up. You pushed too hard and now you’re at this world’s mercy.

They were your guide. Your light in the tunnel. A potential road to escape if you played your cards right but you dealt the wrong hand.

The voice came like a whisper on the wind, guiding each syllable against his eardrum. A piece of concrete smashed the floor right next to his foot as a nearby building was dangerously leaning.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Oh, fuck him. He immediately hops in the dumpster, infection be damned. He slams the lid over his head, screws his eyes shut, and clings to Phoebe like his life depends on it. Because honestly? It kind of does. He's alone again. He only has this damn bird. And she didn't know what the hell was happening either. She was a bird.*

limitless-liminals

The chaos around him ensued like a horrible thunderstorm. At one point, the concrete slamming against the floor was loud enough to shake the confines of the dumpster. Simultaneously, a giant chunk slammed against the plastic cover, nearly crushing it, while another dented the side with a bang.

Amongst the chaos was a rushing footsteps that slammed against the floor in a flurry. They turned in direction several times, as if searching. Either that, or it was general panic. It was close to his dumpster.

A friend?

“What the fuck!”

The yell was like a whisper amongst the noise.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks one arm over his head and curls around his core, keeping Phoebe there. He wanted to ignore how much he was shaking.

And a voice. A human voice. He could almost cry with relief. Maybe he was. He couldn't tell. He was so tired of this.

What if it was a trick. Could he take that risk? Could he take the risk of a trick for the chance of seeing another person here? To see another person terrified and in need of help, just like him.

No. No, he couldn't. He was told to go in here. So he would. And he would stay here, even if they didn't come back. It was hidden, it was safer than being out in the open like that.*

limitless-liminals

There was a crash and then the footsteps sprinted right beside the dumpster. It was difficult to hear over everything else but their breathing was ragged and frantic, more akin to wheezing than anything else.

“Holy shitholyshitholyshit,” the voice muttered, yelping as concrete hit the top of the dumpster right again.

But it didn’t break.

Logical reasoning would deduce that he probably had a second before the dumpster was opened.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Well... It'd be fine. He has a gun. If this is a trick, if this person did mean harm, he has his gun! He could just... Shoot. That's what people do with guns.

He took a deep breath to calm his shaking hands. He clicked the safety off his pistol. And he aimed.

And waited.

His shaking didn't stop. He cursed himself internally for the stupid adrenaline that's almost always running through his veins nowadays.*

limitless-liminals

The was a tiny pause of hesitation where the plastic was peaked open become being pulled open fully. What awaited on the other side was a scrappy looking man adorning a light taupe hood and dark green sweater that have both been patched and stitched together ten times at least. In his right hand, he held a knife but he wasn’t pointing it at Noel or anything in particular.

The man slammed the dumpster shut upon staring down the barrel of a gun, leaping at least four feet back. In that split second, Noel could see the wide eyes and sweating skin.

Silence. How the fuck is he meant to reply to that? Does he run?

aguidetothemultiverse

*Noel wouldn't be surprised if he looked like a scared kid, hiding away in a dumpster like this.

...

Okay. Uh... Okay. He... he looked pretty real, but... There was no way to tell.

...There was really no harm in asking, was there? Deep breath, Charlie.

He lifted the lid and peeked out at the man, staring at him with a furrowed brow. He clicks the safety back on, but keeps his pistol in hand.*

"...Are you real?"

*He sticks his head fully out of the dumpster, glancing around the alley. Why did they want him to jump in here?? What the fuck?*

"Can..."

*Oh, he was going to sound insane...*

"Can you hear the... uh... The voice?"

*Was there anything more insane than a man in his 40s hiding in a dumpster aiming a pistol at some random guy with a pigeon on his chest?*

limitless-liminals

They stared, utterly baffled. Speaking of the voices, I finally returned from my not so kind break. I’m sorry if it takes me a second to get caught back up to speed.

Anyhow, the man’s eyes are flickering and head spinning around every so often, scanning for information. He flinches with every noise and presses his back against the wall. He looked just as panicked as you did and with his malnourished frame, there was a tad bit of resemblance between you and him during your…not so fortunate days.

“I think? Yes, I think I’m real,” he said, out of breath. He patted himself just to be sure.

“Can we— let’s put the gun away,”

who was he to make demands right now? That didn’t matter so long as the faux power remained in his shaking tone. To help them both, he put the knife into his harness.

“And uh…yeah. I hear— I hear it.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He swallows thickly when the voice returns.

...Since you're back in my mind, can you tell me if he's real? I think that's a fair trade.

Please. This has to work. She can hear everything he thinks again! Even the non-deliberate things!! Even this! He didn't even realize he was thinking it!! Come on!!

He takes a breath. Focus. There's a guy here, real or not. He looked insane. He slowly crawled out of the dumpster, making sure to keep his pistol in hand, but aimed down. When his foot lands on the ground, he has to fight the urge to wince. It didn't hurt too much, but it was so unbelievably jarring, he felt like his mind was tearing itself apart at the sensation alone.*

"How long have you been here?"

*He shoots another nervous glance around the alley. He would prefer to not get caught by something while his foot was still... like this.*

limitless-liminals

Do you not believe him? I’d describe him as quite real but it’s up to interpretation I suppose. There’s only so much that a narrator can do.

Anywho…where was I…right…

The man’s eyes widened as he tried to back up more, only for his back to hit the wall. His eyes continued examining, always looking for details, but he continued to stare back to the gun…and now your foot. He was certainly the perceptive one, if I had to say so myself.

“I don’t know…I don’t really— time isn’t something I have a good grasp on. Right before everything started falling around us, I guess?”

With each crash, he flinched and anticipated impact only for it never to come.

“Where even IS here?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Of course I don't believe him! Why would I? I don't know how your powers work yet! I don't know what you're capable of!!

He was starting to get a bit uncomfortable under the other man's gaze. He couldn't exactly help the foot thing, so there was no point in staring. The gun was a bit more understandable, but come on, he has no reason to trust this guy yet!*

"I ain't too sure myself."

*Phoebe flutters out from the dumpster, landing on his head. It throws off his balance for a swift moment, but he regains it rather quickly.*

"The first time things started falling or the second time."

*There were probably times before that, too, but he was going based off of his perception, so...

What was it that caused the falling anyway? Was it you? Were you mad at me? Was that it?

That was probably it. Punishment. Despite the deliberate tone that came with the louder thoughts, there were twinges of guilt and terror laced in it. That all this was his fault. That somehow, someway, everything that's happened to him up until this point was all due to some actions he's taken at some point.*

limitless-liminals

Right…I can’t even blame you for your paranoia since it’ll get you far here. I’ll tell you that I’m primarily behind the scenes. Most of what happens around here is entirely unrelated to my own actions. Believe whatever you want but that’s the truth.

The man’s eyes widened upon seeing the creature land on your head. He seemed torn between reaching out and running away. His mouth fell agape, only for him to to remember to close it a second later.

He shook his head, shaking away his silly ideas, “I’m assuming the second since I don’t know the first. We need to take cover before we keep talking though because—“

CRASH!

Perfect timing. It nearly took out his foot though. Twinning would’ve been horrible in this instance.

“…that. That’s why we should take cover.”

His eyes repeatedly went back to the foreign critter. Words hung on his tongue, unspoken. His eyes narrowed in thought.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stumbles back towards the dumpster at the crash of debris. Phoebe flaps her wings wildly at the movement. She spots the other man and deems him as a much more stable host than Noel and flies over to him, landing on his head.

Noel stares at her just as he's about to swing his leg back into the dumpster.*

"Phoebe, get back here."

*At least she thought he was real. Didn't exactly make him feel any better. He kept his voice stern, like he was commanding a misbehaving child.

Will he hurt her? If he tries to hurt her, can you stop him?*

lepi-rp-sideblog

Believe me, I think you’re fine.

The man nearly dove for the dumpster as well until the pigeon landed on his head, to which he froze like a statue. His breath caught in his throat as if an exhale would disturb the bird. Unlike before, he didn’t flinch at any of the clattering. No, he couldn’t. Not until the bird moved

aguidetothemultiverse

*She doesn't budge.*

"Phoebe!"

*He holsters his pistol, walking over to the other man and snatching the bird from his head.*

"Jesus, I'm sorry about her... Got a mind of her own, this one."

*He chuckles nervously, tucking her under his arm like a book before hopping in the dumpster, taking Phoebe with him.

Oh. He left quite a bit of blood in there.

Are there any bandages around here? I kinda need some, if you couldn't tell.

He really hoped he wasn't losing too much blood to affect his ability to really do much of anything within a matter of hours.*

limitless-liminals

He matches his nervous laugh with one of his own but he doesn’t relax. No, he stayed frigid as he stares with the bird with a level of admiration, terror, and confusion not fit for a pigeon. He glances back to Noel with a furrowed brow and an unspoken question.

“No, no…it’s good. You’re good.”

He physically has to shake his head to reset his mind before climbing into the dumpster. The chaos was picking up around them after all and he didn’t seem to mind the blood too much as he balled himself up.

And to answer your question, there are bandages around here but I’m not allowed to provide you with any.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks Phoebe to his chest, grabbing the lid and slamming it shut when he's confident the other man is fully in the dumpster. And if he was a threat, then... well, Noel had a gun. He also wasn't afraid to use his teeth.

He offers a strange look back at the man's own strange look at the pigeon.

What's his problem with Phoebe? Does he want to eat her? Should I be worried? Did you lie to me before?

The thoughts come in a panicked flurry. He may be able to control what gets through, but he can't control the emotion that comes with them. He's always hated that. The King would take advantage of it when he didn't have the ability to speak, when his face was too swollen for his lips to work, when his tongue was torn out and shoved down his throat.

He takes a breath. Stop thinking about the King. He couldn't let himself get distracted here.*

"Got a name? Or somethin' to call you by?"

*He keeps his voice just barely below a whisper.

You got a name, too?

Might as well know what to call his captor while he's getting names.*

limitless-liminals

The man looked between the bird and you with a furrowed brow, still trying to put some pieces together. Despite that, he was still missing plenty of other pieces that would complete this puzzle.

He had to shake his head again, remembering that he had to respond, “My name is Simon. What’s yours?”

And as for myself, there’s no need for a name. You can call me Narrator one if you wish, or just Narrator. The other voice you hear is called Kiki.

Your other questions are up to you to find out. I will tell you that I don’t tend to be a liar though. I suppose that may be hard to believe for someone like you though.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a scowl at that last comment. "Someone like him"? What was that supposed to mean?! Sure, he had some trouble believing things to be real, but there's reasoning behind it!!

Whatever. Whatever! It didn't matter. He takes a steady breath. He automatically goes to answer as "Charlie," but stops. Dammit, Arthur and John were really getting in his head. He needed to tell them to stop calling him that. It wasn't good for him, no matter how good it felt.*

"Noel."

*He goes to hold his hand out to shake, but pulls his hand back relatively fast. He didn't know if this place had the same greeting customs as back home.

After a moment of confused staring, he cautiously holds Phoebe towards him. She's unbothered by the movement.*

"You ever see a pigeon before?"

*There was a hint of amusement in his voice, but his grip on her was firm. If Simon decided Phoebe was a delicious snack that was only a couple feet away, then he'd get a shoe to the face and Phoebe would be back at his chest. She seemed to trust him, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon nearly goes to shake his hand before raising an eyebrow in confusion at him pulling it back. That was a bit rude but okay…his hands weren’t that gross.

“Nice to meet you,” he nodded, flinching as there was another loud bang.

He was too focused on that, that when presented with the feathered creature, he nearly had a heart attack. Simon froze and shuffled backwards until he was pressed against the side of the dumpster.

“Pi-geon…? Is…is that a pigeon? How do you know what to call it?”

So, clearly the answer was no.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls Phoebe back at Simon's terror of her with a confused smile.*

"Uh... Yeah. She's a pigeon. I know 'cause I live in New York City and they're everywhere...?"

*He chuckles.*

"Have you seriously never seen a pigeon before?"

*He holds her out again. What if this guy was from a timeline where pigeons didn't exist? Or were just a myth? Or... Dead? Why wouldn't pigeons exist??? That didn't make sense to him.*

"She ain't gonna hurt you, at least not on purpose. I should probably shave down her claws at some point, but it won't draw blood."

*The bird in question tilts her head to stare at Simon with a singular eye. She lets out a little rumbly coo.*

"...Actually, I don't think she's ever bit me. She's real docile for a bird that just showed up at my doorstep one day."

limitless-liminals

Simon was frigid, the only motion being one where he pushed his back further into the cool metal. If he hadn’t had thick fabric on, it would’ve been a nice contrast to his clammy skin. If he had a shirt underneath, he would’ve taken it off due to how much the combination of the heat in the garbage and his own nerves was causing him to sweat.

“New York City? That place is long gone.”

What the fuck was happening to him? The only remnants of New York City was what got documented and what information has been carried through oral tradition.

“And no, I’ve never seen a pigeon. It’s not normal to be greeted by a holy being due it just…arriving on your doorstep. You shouldn’t be treating her like a pet.”

Dear God, he was sorry for doubting you because what was THAT?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's dumbfounded. Absolutely dumbfounded.*

"You're jokin', right?"

*He had to be, because he was in the city just a few... Well, he didn't know how long he'd been gone, but he was there!! Recently!! And "holy being"? What??????*

"She's... She's like a rat with wings, doll. If she could eat somethin' she's gonna eat it. That's all pigeons. They're far from holy."

*He looks around for a moment.*

"Frankly, if this thing weren't empty, I'm sure she'd be stuffing her little beak with everything she can."

*Hey Narrator? Could you tell him that pigeons are... Normal? I guess? He's too freaked out and I'm not sure if I could calm him down with just words and shoving Phoebe in his face.*

limitless-liminals

I can not. My role is not to persuade but just to provide information. Telling him that would be cheating.

“No, I’m not joking. I’m saying this out of concern but I don’t think you know what you’re dealing with,” he’s seen enough angel imagery to envision it with his eyes closed.

“Just because it carries silly habits,” Simon glanced at Phoebe, “and forgive me for calling it silly, doesn’t mean she isn’t a higher power.”

Besides, he hardly understood that comparison anyways due to ignorance about rats.

aguidetothemultiverse

*What. Are you serious? Oh, you've got to be kidding him.

That is information. You're not persuading him of anything, you're just telling him that pigeons are normal...? At least this one. I think.

He really hopes that she's a normal pigeon. She hasn't really shown any signs of not being a normal pigeon. If she wasn't a normal pigeon, well... She seemed to like being treated like a normal pigeon.*

"I'm not gonna be able to convince you otherwise, will I?"

*He sets Phoebe in his lap and gently scratches around her eyes. She leans into the touch.*

"Well, whatever you believe, she seems to enjoy being treated like a regular old pigeon. Eats seeds, flies around, coos at me when she wants food, shits in my hat, coos at me some more just for the sake of it. You know, regular old pigeon stuff."

*He keeps scratching her for a moment more. Then stops. He holds her up again.*

"She likes being scratched between her eyes and little ear holes, you know. She'll tilt her head so you could scratch better, even."

limitless-liminals

Pigeons being normal is an opinion. I’m not meant to provide opinions like that. My job is not to argue, just to blend into the background in most cases. Saying that would just begin a conflict I’m not meant to participate in. I’m simply following the rules.

“I don’t know…” He narrowed his eyes, examining the bird closer. “I don’t really have ‘pigeons’ back on Eden…but if she wants to be treated like a normal pigeon, whatever that means, then I won’t deny her.”

He had doubted religion for a long time. It began early but maybe Simon had to reevaluate. It wasn’t as if being taken here has another explanation.

He stared at the pigeon, reaching his hand out, pulling it back, before finally scratching in the spot Noel described.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Eden? Like the garden? From the bible? Was this guy hyper-religious to the point of never seeing a pigeon? Christ...

Well, he could ask questions later. Phoebe was overjoyed at the prospect of a new person. She wrestled her way out of Noel's hands, hopping into Simon's lap and cooing happily. She waltzed around in a small circle before shoving her face back into Simon's hand, awaiting scritches.*

"Looks like she likes you!"

*He chuckles softly at her excitement. She was a goofy little thing. Hold on.

What's Eden? Just the information on it, not opinions.*

simon-thebutcher

Simon sucked in a sharp breath of air as Phoebe hopped onto his laps. His hands floated in the air around him, unsure of what to do before cautiously scratching the same spot as before.

He mumbled something inaudible to Noel but with a tone between confusion and dread. His eyes matched those emotions with eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m glad…” deep breath. “She’s…soft.”

And why don’t you ask him instead? Get to know each other.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a frown again.

Thanks a lot.*

"So, uh... Mind tellin' me what Eden is? Got somethin' to do with the bible?"

*He probably shouldn't throw a barrage of questions at him. But who could blame him for being just a teensy bit curious about the guy who lived somewhere without pigeons who thought they were angels. Pigeons as angels. Sky rats. Equated to angels. There's very clearly something going on here, and it was not normal.*

"You don't gotta, it'll just give me a better grasp of your... Perception of Phoebe."

*How could someone expect another person to treat a pigeon like an angel? That was insane!

Phoebe was having a great time with Simon, though. She nestled into him for a second, then walked around in an excited circle, then bobbed her head up and down, then did it all over again. He really hoped she wouldn't bite him to grab his attention at some point, it might just scare the poor guy away.*

limitless-liminals

He gradually settled down but he instead concentrated his worry on chewing the dead skin off of his lip. Simon watched the bird with the degree of interest a child would upon seeing their favorite cartoon. He couldnt help but snicker a bit at the movements, petting her head again. At the very least, he was quickly getting a tad more used to her.

He had an expression Noel could recognize from a mile away as he described it: longing.

“Ah, Eden is my home. It’s named after the place in the Bible, yes. It used to be a Mars space station, the first human colony beyond earth, before The Quiet Rapture happened and now there’s no Mars. I sometimes wish we had more, sure, but it was home.”

He didn’t understand how Noel didn’t know that already but something was clearly amiss here.

“…how’s New York City?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's utterly dumbfounded. Mars. The fucking planet. This guy made it off Earth. And he lived there. And "The Quiet Rapture"? What the fuck was that??*

"Mars..."

*He couldn't help but blurt it out. His mind was racing. He was speaking with a human from space. He's never done that before! He scrambles for his notebook and quickly jots down "Universe 35 - Eden's home", underlining it few times. Underneath he writes. "Met a guy who used to live on Mars! Now he just lives... out there? I guess?" He underlines "Mars" a few times for emphasis. Because... wow.*

"Uh... Right, New York. It's-"

*This guy's probably never been to Earth. That's why he doesn't know what a pigeon is.*

"Big. To put it simply."

*How does he explain New York City to someone who's never been to Earth??*

"Uh. It's loud. Real loud. Lotta people call it the "City that Never Sleeps", and they're not really lyin' about it. People are always doing something at any hour of the day. All year round."

*Christ, what else can he say? Well. Pigeons. He gestures to Phoebe.*

"Pigeons are everywhere. She's a great example of one. One of the bigger ones that I've seen around, but I've absolutely seen bigger. There's also always some sorta light on. It... can kinda be like a maze if you haven't been there before, but you get the hang of it over time."

*He felt like he was advertising it. There was really no good way to explain the City, especially to someone who'd never been to an Earth city before. But even if they have been to Earth, it was still hard to explain.*

"The buildings are real tall. Call 'em skyscrapers 'cus they touch the sky. And all of them are basically touching, wall to wall. You mix that with the amount of people and you've barely got any room to breathe."

*He chuckles. He kinda missed it, the ability to just... Blend in with the crowd, not get as many strange looks for the large scar that ran across his face, feel like a ghost in a graveyard. Where he was meant to be.

Sure, a break from the crowds was nice, but he preferred not feeling so exposed like this. In one way or another.*

"But, back to you. What's the 'Quiet Rapture'? Is it some War that I should be prepared for in the future?"

*He laughs. It's strained.

Please say no. He couldn't go through another one of those. He couldn't lose his friends again.*

limitless-liminals

Simon glanced back up at him and just sorta…stared. He was trying to put two and two together on why it was so shocking and…why in the world is he writing this down? I mean, they documented stuff on Eden but they didn’t feel the need to document stuff that should be basic knowledge.

His confusion only worsened upon your description as he nodded slowly, trying to picture it in his head. Simon was likely way off but it was better than nothing. It wasn’t as though he had much reference for living spaces that size nor that many people clumped together.

“That’s…woah…weird, but impressive.”

Without realizing, he had stopped petting Phoebe, to which he mumbled an apology for before continuing.

“During the Quiet Rapture, we don’t really know why but all stars and habitable planets just disappeared. There’s space ships and some moons left, sure, but nothing that’s as abundant as Earth’s materials,” he sighed. “I was born after it happened so I can’t give you much besides what I’ve been told.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Maybe I should try drawing it for him... What do you think of that? Or is that too opinionated for you?

He stifles a mischievous little chuckle at that.

As he's taking in the new information about Simon's universe, writing along as fast as he can, Phoebe decides to explore this new person. If he was going to stop petting her, it was her turn to figure this guy out! She clambers up his shirt until she makes it to his shoulder. She tilts her head a few times at his hair (it looked much softer than Noel's, he had to admit).

Then, she plucked a hair from his head, feeling it in her beak. Noel lets out a yelp when he spots her doing this.*

"Hey! Phoebe! You don't need his hair for nesting!! I'll getcha some other stuff!"

*He taps her on the beak lightly, but made sure to have enough force to reprimand her. Nothing that would hurt, if anything, she'd just be annoyed by it.*

"We just met the guy! Be nice!"

*She bites his finger. He frowns at her.*

limitless-liminals

Draw it if you’d like. I’m not stopping you. I think that’s a good way to present information.

Simon was like a statue whenever she explored. He stared with much more fear and uncertainty than what was appropriate for a pigeon. The only reaction she earned was a sharp inhale from her plucking.

Once Noel reacted so freely though, he raised his voice slightly, “Hey, be respectful!”

A crash echoed outside the dumpster right after he spoke.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He slowly holds his hands up in a show of mercy, staring in the direction of the noise. He didn't hurt her...? She was fine. She actually went back to plucking some strands of Simon's hair out, tossing them in Noel's direction.

Also. Did he do that? Or did something hear them? *

"She's not bein' very respectful."

*He grabs her from Simon's shoulder, setting her in his own lap.*

"You're just doin' that to do it, ya little rascal."

*She wrestles out of his grip before settling between the two men. She ignores the couple of strands of hair she pulled from Simon's head, only further proving Noel's point. She then starts to preen herself.*

"She doesn't care, anyway. I do that to her all the time. Hell, I throw her and she enjoys it. A little tap to the nose is probably more playful than reprimanding."

*He grimaces. He should probably find a better form of training her, then...*

limitless-liminals

“She can do whatever she would like,” he scoffed.

Simon allowed her to pluck as much hair as she liked and stared with fascination at the simple act of preening. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. He didn’t have any reference for why she would do that in the first place nor why she needed hair.

But who was he to protest?

Simon plucked out a chunk more of his hair and set it down in front of Phoebe.

“I don’t think she needs reprimanded.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of accepting the clump of hair, she whacks him with her wing as Noel puts his hands up in a panic.*

"Woah, woah, woah! Let's- Let's not tear your whole scalp off for her, alright?"

*He takes Simon's hands and places them in his lap.*

"If she's gonna take your hair, it's gonna be of her own doing. She doesn't really like it when people get hurt. Unless she's the one causing it, I guess."

*He drops his voice to a murmur for that last bit. Simon didn't need to know how much of a hypocrite this bird was. That was for Noel and Phoebe on their own.*

"I let her do most things mosta the time anyway. She could at least be polite to strangers."

*He ruffles the feathers on the top of her head, putting on a voice like one would use to talk to a puppy while speaking to her.*

"Hear that? Be polite, ya little rat!"

*She coos in response, biting his finger playfully. He chuckles softly with a tiny "ow, what the hell, Pheeb?" and a smile on his face.*

limitless-liminals

Simon flinches in surprise, not expecting that reaction. He blinked and stared between the two, assessing the level of danger. Noel seemed to be okay but the ‘pigeon’ was an element that couldn’t be considered as simply. No, he had to tread on thin ice.

“It’s not that much hair, it’s alright…but if she doesn’t want me to, I won’t. I was just trying to help.”

His confusion only increases with the exchange that those two shared, “And she’s just okay with this?”

Anyhow, how long are you two just going to sit here talking?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls his hands away from Phoebe's face, who immediately goes to waddle back into his lap. He gestures to her.*

"Seems it to me."

*He chuckles a little at her. His stupid pigeon. To think that he tried to get rid of her at first.

And then he sighs, closing his eyes. He briefly thinks to appreciate Arthur for his ability to hold a straight face most of the time.*

"Is the narrator also trying to get you out of the dumpster? Even though she, uh, you know, told me to come in here?"

*There's a twinge of anger in his voice, but he smiles with it. It's a very strained smile.*

"Oh, also, didn't you just hear some rubble outside? Or was that just me?"

*Passive aggression, what a tool. His favorite, even. Maybe he was a bit light on the "passive" part of it, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon smiled at the bird’s behavior, finally settling into the existence of her at the very least. She seemed to be happy from his first impression, so who was he to judge? That wasn’t his role in existence.

“Uh, they never told me to jump into here but they’re also not telling me to get out? They’ve been quite quiet for me. Are they not quiet for you…? I don’t even have a label like you do.”

Another crash hit outside, louder, angry.

“But yeah, I’ve been hearing everything crashing.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He can feel his eye twitch.*

"No, no, they've been talkin' back and forth with me for a bit. Asked us how long we were going to sit here and chat for."

*He glares at the roof of the dumpster.*

"Come on, now that I'm acknowledging you, you don't wanna say anything?"

*He sighs, turning his attention back to Simon.*

"If you think really loud in sentences, it can be a back and forth conversation. Well, back and forth if I can get a response at all."

*He was very tired of this. The not-his pain was starting to make him a bit woozy. It was probably blood loss.*

"Could you tell me what's makin' the ruckus outside yet or is the answer to that still no?"

*He crosses his arms, letting his back fall against the side of the dumpster as he awaits a response from the Narrator.*

limitless-liminals

“Really? I haven’t gotten anything like that.”

He paused for a moment, trying to think really hard like Noel instructed. It wasn’t an elaborate message, just a simple hello, an attempt to reach out. I responded back with a hello despite my discomfort.

To be frank with you, I don’t respond to you when I’m addressed because I don’t exactly like being addressed. That’s not my role. I’d enjoy it if you quit.

If you’re gonna keep asking, you’re gonna get similar replies though. If you wish to find out that information, go explore for yourself.

“What’s she saying to you? I just got a hello.”

aguidetothemultiverse

"Okay. Okay, sure..."

*He says it breathless, tired, done. He presses the balls of his palms into his eyes, tilts his head back, and groans.*

"Saying she doesn't like being addressed and that we should 'explore for ourselves'..."

*He drops his hands, glances at his wounded foot, then looks to the lid of the dumpster.*

"I'd personally rather be safe and sent home."

*There's some bite to his words now.*

"But sure, whatever. I'll go exploring. Hey, maybe I'll die! Wouldn't that be a fun narration?"

*Full bite. He shifts Phoebe to his shoulder, who is none the wiser and nestles into him. Just as he's about to push the top open, he pauses. When he speaks, none of that vitriol is there anymore. Just that sweet talking, New York accented voice.*

"Pain is different here, by the way. It doesn't feel like its on your body, but it's still there. Real weird. Just wanted to warn ya."

*And he hops out. He has to stifle a grunt of pain when he lands, not just from his foot, but in general. He was getting too old to be doing this sorta thing.*

limitless-liminals

I’ve narrated quite a few deaths. Some are more entertaining than others but only one have I had any direct influence on. I control your senses. I’d watch what you say.

“Honestly, this place very well may be better than home,” Simon grumbled.

He hesitated a second before following after you, not enjoying the idea of death. It certainly wasn’t a sweat taste on his tongue.

“That’s…odd,” he stared at Noel’s foot. “I’ll take it that’s how you found that out?”

Another crash. A building a few feet away crumbling to bits.

“We should get that bandages somehow…”

aguidetothemultiverse

*You're so reassuring! I love being here! I would also like to remind you that I figured out how to block you out of my head, so do with that what you will, doll.

He's already limping towards the crumbling building with his pistol in hand and a scowl on his face when Simon begins to follow. His scowl drops pretty quickly, morphing into a tired look when he turns towards the other man.*

"Yeah, unfortunately. Wanted to check how real things were, and, well... Got some information."

*He chuckles, trying to lighten the mood a little. Or just bring up his own spirits. He was tired of dealing with the Narrator's bullshit.*

"And... uh, yup. That was the goal. Asked for them a few times, even asked to be led to some, I think. Look where we are."

*He gestures to the blood trail he was leaving. It was weird seeing it with the feeling.*

limitless-liminals

I also control where you end up, doll. This location is quite favorable compared to a few others. I could just as easily send you there as I did here. Whether or not I can access your thoughts means little to me.

The man didn’t laugh, no, it was just a concerned gaze, “So, you shot yourself in the foot? Hold on, let’s pause here real quick.”

Simon placed a hand in the man’s chest to get him to stop. Fortunately, there wasn’t any other major crashing or footsteps. The streets were decorated with evidence of the chaos, buildings blocking paths and rubble piling up high.

He took his knife out of his harness and cut the bottom section of his sweater off in one long strip, careful not to slice himself in the process. Then, he kneeled down and glanced up to Noel, asking for him to raise his foot so he could wrap it easier.

“It’s not great but it’s something for now.”

aguidetothemultiverse

It’s getting quite hot out here, is it not? I’m going to have to switch to my summer clothes soon! If you would be so kind, dear, what is Noel doing on this sweltering afternoon?

@limitless-liminals

*He's been hanging around the infirmary, staying close by Arthur and John's side, monitoring his healing. His guilt was eating him up. Any time Phoebe lost a feather, he'd pick it up and fiddle with it until it practically fell apart, much to Phoebe's dismay. She was trying to nest out of those!! On Arthur's chest!!! And he was taking her nesting materials!!*

limitless-liminals

A knock rang through the infirmary from the door but when he turned, there would be no one there. What was there instead was an ethereal, white feather that glittered in the sterile lights as it floated down from the top of the doorway.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tenses immediately. He stares suspiciously at the feather. No. Nope. Not doing that.

He grabs Phoebe and sets her to his chest. She would not be the reason he gets into another eldritch mess, she would not be getting hurt by another eldritch being. Nope.

But, God, his curiosity was killing him. He wanted to know what was up with this. Why a feather? Why a feather when he just got attached to this bird?? What was trying to lure him? Where was it trying to lure him?*

limitless-liminals

Plop.

It was a wet splotch as it hit the tile and it sounded as though it dropped into a puddle that never was there. The shape was round, a perfect sphere roughly the size of a marble, white with another circle colored with— It was an eyeball.

*Yikes! People typically need those, don’t you think? Well, unless you’re like our buddy Arthur here who conveniently has a John to keep him company.*

The narrator spoke in a cheerful tone within his head, a sing-song lilt in each syllable with a poorly hidden giggle. Their voice was fairly androgynous, maybe a tad masculine if you squint, but it was fairly young if Noel had to guess.

*Aw, thank you for the compliment! I don’t consider myself that young but I’m glad I still have my sparkle. Oh! Shoot, Noel, you can’t hear the other voice, can you? I’m sorry for the confusion, I’ll quiet down!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He grimaces.*

"Goddammit... Not again..."

*His voice shakes. He was so tired. He was so fucking tired. He didn't want to hear any more voices. The King was bad enough in the Dreamlands, then there was Aamon, and now this?!

He glanced around nervously. Maybe other people could see this. Maybe other people could hear this. Maybe it wasn't just him being greeted by whatever this was.

That or he had finally lost it. Maybe he really went cooky this time. He knew he'd snap at some point, but frankly, he was expecting a bit more time until then.

...Was any of this real? Did he just... Die at the Order and this is... What, his brain making something up to ease him into death? This wasn't a fun way to be eased into death. He'd assume that his brain would pick something nicer. Maybe the real Noel, or Roland. Hey, maybe both. Of course, Arthur and John would be there, too.

Ugh, stay focused, Dowd! This thing can speak in his head, he shouldn't be getting distracted!!*

limitless-liminals

*Huh, not again? Does this specific stuff happen to you a lot? I know someone who has a repeating scenario happen every two days! Is it like that?*

Dear, as much as I love your enthusiasm, let’s stick to the plot.

*Oh! Right, the plot. So sorry. I need to stop getting side tracked.*

The eye began rolling toward Noel, each time sounding like it was in an ocean of viscous liquid that never was there. The floor remained as dry as it typically was.

aguidetothemultiverse

"N-No- No, no! We're not doing this!"

*He places Phoebe on Arthur's cot, pulling his pistol out and pointing it at the eye. He stands on the chair to get more distance.*

"Stay back!! I'm not- I'll shoot!!"

limitless-liminals

*Huh? Thats not me. Thats just an eye, silly!*

It stopped rolling and the feather began flying through the air as if on wind that didn’t exist in the infirmary. It made circles before looping back around and weaving through the air in various zig zags.

The eye only watched.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He cowers away from the feather, aiming his gun at the both of them.*

"Leave me alone!!"

*He was shaking. He needed to stop doing that. It was happening too much. He just needed to calm down. Maybe this was all fake. Maybe this was a dream. Hey, this would be wonderful if it were a dream. He'd just need to wake up.

...He could shoot his foot to wake himself up. Ehh, that should probably be a last resort thing.*

limitless-liminals

*What was next on the itinerary?*

The sound of rummaging through papers could be heard as I try to search for the list. Typically, I was more organized than this but with all the new information they’ve been giving out, it was nearly impossible.

*Take your time!*

Found it! Okay, Noel needs to…I probably shouldn’t say this where the viewers can see. Come closer to me so you can read it.

*hmmm….got it! Noel, honey, let’s put the gun down.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What?? No! He'd never do that!! He wasn't giving in! He's never given in before, he wasn't planning on starting now!!*

"Do you think I'm an idiot??"

*He shoots a glance at Phoebe. If this damn bird goes over to any of what's happening right now, he swears he'll be having roasted pigeon for dinner.*

"And don't call me honey. You're not gonna win me over with sweet words."

limitless-liminals

*A little, yeah, there’s not really avoiding this part. We kind of need it for the plot.*

The feather floated directly onto Arthur’s chest, not moving any more once it situated directly in the center. The eyeball just watched, pupil going wherever movement did.

*Actually, hold on, I think the rules got revised for what was allowed in there.*

More rummaging of paper.

*Oh! Nevermind, you can keep your gun. I’m sorry.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Phoebe eyes the feather curiously. It would work wonderfully in her little nest here... She took a step towards it and was almost immediately scooped up by Noel. He presses her against his chest and she lets out a shocked coo.*

"Leave me alone! I've got no information for ya! I've got nothin'!"

limitless-liminals

*…Why would I care for information? I got all the info I need!*

The sound of a pen scratching on paper could be heard followed the sound of footsteps. My lover hums gently as she reads over the words. Her voice-

*AHHHH! HOLY SHIT, ARTHUR! OH NO, OH NO, OH NO. THE FEATHER. YOU GOT TO DISPOSE OF IT. GET IT AWAY. BURN IT OUTSIDE. ITS THE ONLY WAY! GET UP! GET UP! FUCK, WAKE UP!*

…Okay, maybe it didn’t need to be that loud. Ouch.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He winces at the sudden increase in volume. When she quiets down, he leans forward and blows it off of Arthur's chest. Someone else could go and burn it. He was done leaving Arthur and John's side. He wasn't doing that again. They needed him, at least for now. At least while vulnerable like this.*

limitless-liminals

*Bud, you better go and light that feather on fire! I could stick you in a really horrible level if I—*

—I love the enthusiasm, honey, but let’s tone it down. Let’s turn to the collective vote of the viewers at home to see if we have the permission to skip over the process we had written down! He may end up in another level than what was planned but hey, who doesn’t love some improv?

Mumbling filled every corner of the room, seeping in from where we came from. I always hate how our worlds will bleed together but it’s inevitable.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He shudders, but doesn't budge. Whatever a "level" was, it didn't mean anything to him currently. If it was meant to be a meaningful threat, it really wasn't. He didn't even have a lighter!!*

"Come up with a better threat, doll."

*He tried to ignore the mumbling. It wasn't anything too out of the norm while encountering gods, so it was to be expected. It didn't make it any less unsettling, though. His ears always strained to understand what was being said, even if he didn't want to.

He held Phoebe a little closer to his chest. This thing couldn't do much to this world without his input, could it? And if it could, well, it hadn't yet. Just sounded like a challenge to him, so how much he could piss them off before some shit started happening.*

limitless-liminals

*The votes are in! Drum roll please!*

The sound of pit-patter covered up the mumbling as people slapped their legs repeatedly.

*WE’RE STICKING TO THE PLAN! For now at least…I quite like the idea we had going with this one.*

The feather blew back onto Arthur’s chest with some unnatural current of wind except this time, it didn’t settle there. It began trying to push through his lips and down his throat, easily going halfway there.

*And for your information, that was a great threat! You’re just dumb.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His eyes widen and he jumps to grab the feather, but stops a couple of inches away. Instead of just grabbing it, he wriggles his arm down his sleeve and grabs it, throwing it across the room. Of course, it's a feather, so things don't go exactly according to plan, but it's out of his grasp almost the second it was in it.*

"Tell me why it's good, then."

*He glares at the eyeball on the floor. A thought crosses his mind. He walks over to it and holds his foot above the organ. He goes quiet, listening.*

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see!*

Her voice was playful and more of a song than speaking as she held out the last syllable.

The feather complied with your action, remaining on the floor. We don’t have too much use for it anymore considering your lack of compliance.

The eyeball just watched. Unblinking.

*It doesn’t exactly have eye lids to blink with.*

Eh, you get the point.

*Squashing that thing won’t do much good for you though!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He frowns.*

"What'll happen? Why shouldn't I?"

*He shifts his grip on Phoebe. She felt real... Right?"

limitless-liminals

*You know what, now I don’t want to tell you anymore.*

Phoebe felt as real as she did before. The other objects were a different story. Your eyes began to develop a slight hazey filter over anything else you saw. Your only anchor was the pigeon.

aguidetothemultiverse

tw self harm

*His face goes blank. Oh. Okay. Uh. Cool.

He takes a couple of shaky steps away from the eye. Then points his pistol at his foot.

Without an ounce of hesitation, he pulls the trigger.*

limitless-liminals

*Yowch!*

It didn’t feel real.

The pain didn’t come as it typically would.

No, you felt it distantly with the same hazey filter.

Did it ever truly happen?

Maybe, you need to shoot again?

*I’ll take over the description then. Her voice had a hidden smile in its tone, barely contained by any attempts to relax back to the continuous monotone.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He felt dizzy. No... No. He's done this so many times. Did... He couldn't... No, no, no, no!

He drops the bird, or whatever it was, and falls to his knees. He curls his arms around his head.

And he screams.

Because he can't be back. There was no way. There was no way that these past two years have all been fake. It wasn't possible. He's shot his foot enough times to know that, but now? How now? When did the King get access to him again? And now he knew where that other half was?

So he screams. This was it. He was going to die. This was how he died. He couldn't do it again. It'd either be by his own hands or the King's, but either way, he was dying.

His screams quickly bled into sobs. He couldn't do this. He couldn't do this again.*

limitless-liminals

Ouch, my eardrums!

*You don’t even have those!*

Okay, but it’s a phrase! How am I meant to narrate in these conditions!

*Uh, uh, uh! I don’t know! Make him shut up!*

I hold my hands over my ear holes and I feel the road of my eye shake as I try to regulate myself. I never took fondly to loud noise and— CAN YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY OR I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL DROP YOU IN THE WORST CIRCUMSTANCES YOU CAN THINK OF! I WAS THINKING OF LETTING YOU WARM UP TO THE WHOLE PLACE BUT NOOOO, YOU HAVE TO SCREECH LIKE A BABY!

*…Three deep breathes*

…The sound of breathing can be heard.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tries to follow along with the sound of breathing, even if it wasn't for him, but he can't catch his breath. Tears flow freely from his eyes.

He can't do this again. He can't! He barely made it out alive last time! And Phoebe!! What would she do without him!!

He felt like a child. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go home with his Ma and Pa and curl up in their arms and never deal with this again.*

limitless-liminals

I don’t care. We’re skipping the pretenses to this. I’m done. I’ve had enough. We’re—

BOOOOOOOOOO

SHUT UP, SHUT THE FUCK UP! I DONT CARE WHAT THE VIEWERS WANT. YOURE LUCKY TO HAVE A GODDAMN SHOW. I DONT HAVE TO LIVE STREAM THIS.

*Uh, babe…turn around…*

What? What are you talking about? I— AGHHMMMMTGGGPPGHGGGGGGGG

*…Click…her mic has been muted…I- uh….gods, okay…I guess it’s just you and me now, big guy!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He only curls up more at the voice, shaking violently. He couldn't catch his breath. He couldn't stop sobbing. He couldn't he couldn't he couldn't he couldn't-

Phoebe? Was she still here? Where was his bird? He needed her right now. Where was she? Was she as scared as he was? He couldn't see. He couldn't think. Where was his bird?*

limitless-liminals

*Your bird is where you’d find her typically. Nothing happened to her. Nothing would happen to her.*

Her voice is shaky and uncertain. She moves away from the mic every so often, checking her surroundings, before going back to narrating.

*Lets…okay, please, for both of our sakes, follow my instructions, okay? Please. It will come for me too.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*One hand goes to clamp over his mouth, the other reaching for Phoebe, who immediately presses into him. He has to stifle a wail.

He curls around her, letting his tears drip onto her feathers. He gasps. Air. He needed air. Maybe they could help him get air.

He nods. Okay. Okay, they could maybe help him, even if they got him into this mess.*

limitless-liminals

*okay, okay, thank you, I appreciate it. Just…you see that tile that to the right of the door? I need you to stand on that. You can take the bird with you, I don’t care, you just gotta do that.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He nods again. He just... needed to catch his breath first. Everything was spinny. Deep breath. In and out. It was fine. He shifted the hand from his mouth to Phoebe, feeling her feathers.

Walk over to the tile. That's all he needed to do. The first step was get his feet underneath him. Okay, he could do that. He planted his feet on the floor and-

Oh. That was... disorientating. His pain immediately got more intense, but... was it even his own pain? When he stood up, his leg almost gave out. It was probably his pain. Oh, he hated this. He hated this so much. This was just like the Dreamlands. Oh, he was going to vomit.

No, he had a task. Stay focused, Dowd!!

He hobbled (because that's what it was, his foot was almost dragging behind him) over to the tile, Phoebe held tightly in his arms. He stands on it.

God, he felt like a kid, holding Phoebe like she was a stuffed animal, tears pouring from his eyes. He couldn't even stop it if he tried.*

limitless-liminals

She cleared her throat. *Lock in*

*As soon as your foot hit the tile, the solid ground gave no support as that portion of you just continued slipping down

and down

and down

Down

Down and—

Someone’s leg shouldn’t be able to go this far without the other one following. Actually, the floor shouldn’t seem like nothing more than an illusion in the first place but here we are.*

*The sense of falling was immense and took over every alarm bell but other than the one limb sending those signals, everything else was normal. Your eyes told you that you were planted on the ground. Your other leg was planted on the ground. You weren’t actually falling yet.*

*Itd make the most sense to say the falling leg was extending in order to keep you upright, like some cartoon logic, but none of your nerves sent those signals. The limb was distinctly yours, untouched and unaltered.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*That didn't stop him from getting dizzy by it. He went to take a step away, but stumbled, falling straight on his ass. He clutched Phoebe a little tighter, who lets out a surprised coo.*

"What the fuck?!"

*He felt so sick. Ever since this all started, he felt unbelievably sick. He screwed his eyes shut and tilted his head to the side. Phoebe let out an alarmed coo in response. She rumbles and flaps her wings, trying to get his attention.*

"Phee- Pheeb, just- It's okay- Fuck-"

*He takes a shaky breath, trying to push the nausea that was quickly creeping up on him away.*

limitless-liminals

*…Okay, maybe hop in this time…That way you aren’t just sorta…standing there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His breathing starts to pick up again.*

"How do I-"

*Breathe, Charlie. He'll be okay. He's been through worse. It'll be okay.*

"How do I know that this won't kill me?"

*He needed to stop crying. He needed to breathe. He needed to relax. Panic never got him anywhere. Except keep him alive a few times. He just needed to school it in.*

limitless-liminals

*Trust me, bro? I don’t know. This itself won’t kill you but other stuff can. Let’s just….get back to the tile, okay?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*It takes a moment, but he nods.*

"...Okay..."

*He wanted a name for this thing. But that would have to wait. He shimmied closer to the tile. There was no way he was jumping with how strange his foot was feeling, so trying to position himself over it entirely would have to do.*

limitless-liminals

*Fortunately, that was enough to cause your whole body to phase through the tile. What arrived on the other side of the veil was a foggy, night sky with way too many stars and a plummeting descent to the concrete street below. Your body was roughly 20 yards off the ground.*

*Swallowing up every inch of the landscape were skyscrapers much like the ones you saw in New York, just a tad more futuristic than his era. Between each boxy building were alleyways, if you could call them that. They spanned a mere foot but typically sized dumpsters still remained, part of them stuck in the wall like a poorly placed video game object.*

*The streets, perfectly straight and lacking any potholes or signs of use overall, were vacant of any life. No children laughed at the park down the road, no one was performing street art, nor were there anyone walking in a crowded herd of bumping shoulders. Nothing that would make this city truly feel like a city. The only sign of home you got was the wafting scent of cigarettes.*

*The stoplights and crosswalks worked all the same though, going from red, to yellow, to green. A button near the crosswalk said “wait” in its robotic voice as though it had been pressed, followed but the walking symbol and the command to “walk”.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He curls around Phoebe as he falls, holding her as close as possible. He had to fight to not scream. He needed to be quiet. He didn't know where he was. He wanted to go home.

He doesn't move when he meets the ground, only curling up further and sobbing quietly. He didn't know what was happening. He was scared. He was oh, so scared.*

limitless-liminals

*Do you need a moment…? Medical assistance may- err- nevermind, I can’t give that.*

She looked over her shoulder for me

*Take a deep breath. You’ll be okay. Dont pigeons like the city or whatever?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't move. He doesn't lift his head up. He doesn't stand up. He stays curled up around Phoebe. She was letting out little annoyed coos, but wasn't trying to escape his grasp.*

"What do you- What do you want from me?"

*His voice was barely audible. There was a rasp to it, probably from the screaming and crying. It didn't feel raw, though.*

limitless-liminals

*……Let’s just keep on move, alright, hun? Give me something to narrate.*

aguidetothemultiverse

"No!"

*He whips his head up, glaring at the sky.*

"Tell me what you want from me!! I'll tell you if I could do it!!"

*He clenched his teeth. He could feel the golden tooth push into his gum. He would not go through that again.*

"And if I can't, what will you do?"

*His pained expression slowly morphed into something else. A strange smile spread across his face, the tears still flowing. And he laughed.*

"Torture me? Kill me?! Just tell me already! Rip the bandage off!!"

limitless-liminals

*I want you to keep moving. You can do that, can’t you? Limp around if you have to but keep moving.*

She looked over her shoulder again.

*…please.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He laughs a little harder.*

"I already said no! Tell me the truth! Tell me why you brought me here!"

*Phoebe squirms in his grasp.*

"Tell me what you want from me!!"

limitless-liminals

*How about no! And you should- OH, OH, NEVERMIND, YOU ACTUALLY REALLY NEED TO GET GOING. FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't comply. He tucks his legs to his chest, guarding Phoebe from the outside world, and stares at the sky. Waiting for an answer to his question.

And he wouldn't budge until he got it. He needed an explanation. He wasn't going to run if he didn't know what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing came.

*Damn, normally that works. Did evolution skip over the whole fight or flight thing with you? …Were you alive when they came up with evolution? Does the word make sense to you?….anyways!*

footsteps echoed through the confines of the city but not from anywhere on the ground. It came from the sky. Nothing in the air explained the noise but it circled all around her.

*…okayyoumightreallyneedtogetamoveon. IlltellyouwhatIwantlater.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He still doesn't budge. He. Wanted. His. Answer. He didn't believe those footsteps were real. He didn't. And if he got hurt, then he could take it. He's had worse. He'd been torn apart, head to toe, and got back up fine.

His heart was racing, though. His mind was whispering worries. He wouldn't let it win, though. He wouldn't run until he knew what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

*The footsteps only got louder and louder, vibrating the concrete with each bellowing step. Despite the being never putting a foot down on the ground, the noise of cracking concrete split through the eerie silence and chunks of it clattered around you in various sizes, from pebbles to bricks*

*Please, just…Move bit to the alley?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps violently at the debris, scrambling into the alley without a second thought. He pressed himself into the wall, tucking Phoebe away in his shirt. She protests a little, but only to stick her head out to see what was happening.

He shook and trembled, then glared at the sky. Could this thing hear his thoughts?

Hey, Jackass!

Come on, this has to work.

Tell me what you want from me!! I did what you asked, now tell me why you brought me here!*

limitless-liminals

*I can hear you, no need to yell or name call.* she giggled but it sounded stiff like an actor who’d never been properly told how to emote.

*….*

*Let’s check out the inside of the dumpster as I explain, yeah?*

The footsteps never stop. I thunder overhead like a vicious storm but I never once appear within your gaze. It’s hopeless to try.

*It wasn’t entirely up to me. I don’t know what they want but I’m just here to do what I gotta do. I liked your pigeon, so I maybe swayed the choice a bit.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What does Phoebe have to do with any of this? Couldn't you just have found another pigeon or something?

He cautiously shuffles over to the dumpster, eyeing it suspiciously.

What's in there? What do you want me to do with this??

He wasn't exactly in the mood for dumpster diving while his foot felt like this. Whatever this meant. All he really knew was that it wasn't pleasant and walking was a bit hard, so he clearly got injured. He didn't want it getting infected.*

limitless-liminals

*Have you seen her? She’s just so cute!*

*The open dumpster in front of you was eerily clean and shone with a brightness that didn’t match the dimness of the alleyway. The same hazy filter covered your vision from when you were falling, except this time it wasn’t as bad. The longer you lingered the worse the haze got as the scent of vinegar flooded your nostrils.*

*The green color of the water bottle blended in with the background of the dumpster as it sat perfectly upright. The only thing that stood out against the rest of the metal was the matte, black, plastic lid.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*...That... Still didn't seem very appealing. He didn't exactly feel like hurling his guts the second he saw his body stretch for the second time within a few minutes.

Where will that take me?

He wasn't exactly pleased about running for his life again. And fighting with this... being to get some basic answers while doing so? With some strange, Dreamlands-like logic?

...Why didn't he think of this before.

Kayne. Send me back to the Waylay. Arthur and John are going to panic. At least let me say goodbye.

Please. He didn't want to lose them yet. He wanted to go back to the Waylay.

The realization shocks him a little. Why go back there? With the many unknown dangers? Why not want to go home home?

...Because he didn't have a home anymore. Of course. He cringed at himself.

Wait, can you hear everything I'm thinking? Even the things I'm not thinking... Louder? I guess?

Say no. Please say no.*

limitless-liminals

*…You want me to say no, but I think we both know the answer is yes.* she awkwardly cleared her throat.

*Theres not really an “Off the air” button for you folks like there is for my partner and I. If you can think it, I can work my way into your mind…people usually don’t think about that and I get some…creative folks.*

*Anyways! Who is Kayne? And I don’t think that guy can bring you anywhere? That dumpster you may have to find out about though.*

*CRASH!*

*A block of concrete landed a foot away from your head, cracking the floor.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps away from the debris, stifling a yelp. Phoebe lets out a soft coo in response. He plants his hand over his beak.

Well, lucky for you, I've had practice.

That was all he needed. His mind went quiet. Eerily quiet. He's clearly done this before. They couldn't even read his expression.

He shuffled over to the dumpster. He put his hands on his hips. He stared at it blankly. His thoughts come back.

Do you not know where this goes?

His thoughts go silent again.*

limitless-liminals

*HEY, WHAT, THATS NOT FAIR! COME BACK!*

*The steps paused over head and alongside your thoughts going silent, so did the city. You could hear a pin drop and each breath carried farther on the wind than you might’ve been comfortable with.*

*And I know where that dumpster goes, thank you very much. The waterbottle is still in there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He smiles, raising an eyebrow.

Care to fill me in, doll?

Silence.

If not, I do quite enjoy the quiet...

He steps away from the dumpster, leaning on the opposite wall and staring up at the sky. Smiling. Cocky.*

limitless-liminals

*I actually…uhm…hold on…*

Shuffling papers filled the silence.

*…one second.*

More shuffling, frantic.

*So…this is awkward but I lost the paper…and I don’t know this area that well so…we can find out together?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His smile falls. He raises an eyebrow.

Silence.*

limitless-liminals

*…You just gonna stand there? I lost the paper. There’s not much I can do…*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't budge. Guess the answer was yes.*

limitless-liminals

*Damn, okay. I could really use my partner right now. They’d know where to find it…*

More scavenging and then a satisfied hum.

*Oh! Okay, found it. Let me read anddddddd….huh, that’s a surprise. So, it’s actually just a normal dumpster. Well, as normal as you can get around here.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of moving, he checks his wrist like he's checking a watch. He doesn't have a watch.*

limitless-liminals

*Did you hear me? It’s a normal dumpster! What more are you wantttinnnggggg.* she whined like a toddler having a tantrum.

*rude.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He taps his foot a few times, then pulls Phoebe out of his shirt, holding her under his arm like a pile of books.

Okay, well. If you're gonna be like that, what was the thing stomping around before?*

limitless-liminals

*Be like WHAT? I’m not being like anything. I’m just trying to have a dandy ol’ day and you’re— you know what, never mind. Fine, okay, the thing was—*

—No.

*…Something I can’t say.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Aaand silence.*

limitless-liminals

*Well, fuck you too. Have fun navigating this place alone.*

My stomping begun once again and with it, a storm of concrete hit the floor as buildings began to crumble and collapse.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stays quiet for a little longer. That is, until

Do you control that?

They're let back in. Fear is radiating off of him. He was able to mask all of that. The terror, the fear, the dread. He knew how to hide that.

The King trained him well.

He walks over to the dumpster. His fear spikes before easing a bit. Just water. A normal dumpster for this place. It would be fine.*

limitless-liminals

They won’t reply to you. No, you fucked up. You pushed too hard and now you’re at this world’s mercy.

They were your guide. Your light in the tunnel. A potential road to escape if you played your cards right but you dealt the wrong hand.

The voice came like a whisper on the wind, guiding each syllable against his eardrum. A piece of concrete smashed the floor right next to his foot as a nearby building was dangerously leaning.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Oh, fuck him. He immediately hops in the dumpster, infection be damned. He slams the lid over his head, screws his eyes shut, and clings to Phoebe like his life depends on it. Because honestly? It kind of does. He's alone again. He only has this damn bird. And she didn't know what the hell was happening either. She was a bird.*

limitless-liminals

The chaos around him ensued like a horrible thunderstorm. At one point, the concrete slamming against the floor was loud enough to shake the confines of the dumpster. Simultaneously, a giant chunk slammed against the plastic cover, nearly crushing it, while another dented the side with a bang.

Amongst the chaos was a rushing footsteps that slammed against the floor in a flurry. They turned in direction several times, as if searching. Either that, or it was general panic. It was close to his dumpster.

A friend?

“What the fuck!”

The yell was like a whisper amongst the noise.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks one arm over his head and curls around his core, keeping Phoebe there. He wanted to ignore how much he was shaking.

And a voice. A human voice. He could almost cry with relief. Maybe he was. He couldn't tell. He was so tired of this.

What if it was a trick. Could he take that risk? Could he take the risk of a trick for the chance of seeing another person here? To see another person terrified and in need of help, just like him.

No. No, he couldn't. He was told to go in here. So he would. And he would stay here, even if they didn't come back. It was hidden, it was safer than being out in the open like that.*

limitless-liminals

There was a crash and then the footsteps sprinted right beside the dumpster. It was difficult to hear over everything else but their breathing was ragged and frantic, more akin to wheezing than anything else.

“Holy shitholyshitholyshit,” the voice muttered, yelping as concrete hit the top of the dumpster right again.

But it didn’t break.

Logical reasoning would deduce that he probably had a second before the dumpster was opened.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Well... It'd be fine. He has a gun. If this is a trick, if this person did mean harm, he has his gun! He could just... Shoot. That's what people do with guns.

He took a deep breath to calm his shaking hands. He clicked the safety off his pistol. And he aimed.

And waited.

His shaking didn't stop. He cursed himself internally for the stupid adrenaline that's almost always running through his veins nowadays.*

limitless-liminals

The was a tiny pause of hesitation where the plastic was peaked open become being pulled open fully. What awaited on the other side was a scrappy looking man adorning a light taupe hood and dark green sweater that have both been patched and stitched together ten times at least. In his right hand, he held a knife but he wasn’t pointing it at Noel or anything in particular.

The man slammed the dumpster shut upon staring down the barrel of a gun, leaping at least four feet back. In that split second, Noel could see the wide eyes and sweating skin.

Silence. How the fuck is he meant to reply to that? Does he run?

aguidetothemultiverse

*Noel wouldn't be surprised if he looked like a scared kid, hiding away in a dumpster like this.

...

Okay. Uh... Okay. He... he looked pretty real, but... There was no way to tell.

...There was really no harm in asking, was there? Deep breath, Charlie.

He lifted the lid and peeked out at the man, staring at him with a furrowed brow. He clicks the safety back on, but keeps his pistol in hand.*

"...Are you real?"

*He sticks his head fully out of the dumpster, glancing around the alley. Why did they want him to jump in here?? What the fuck?*

"Can..."

*Oh, he was going to sound insane...*

"Can you hear the... uh... The voice?"

*Was there anything more insane than a man in his 40s hiding in a dumpster aiming a pistol at some random guy with a pigeon on his chest?*

limitless-liminals

They stared, utterly baffled. Speaking of the voices, I finally returned from my not so kind break. I’m sorry if it takes me a second to get caught back up to speed.

Anyhow, the man’s eyes are flickering and head spinning around every so often, scanning for information. He flinches with every noise and presses his back against the wall. He looked just as panicked as you did and with his malnourished frame, there was a tad bit of resemblance between you and him during your…not so fortunate days.

“I think? Yes, I think I’m real,” he said, out of breath. He patted himself just to be sure.

“Can we— let’s put the gun away,”

who was he to make demands right now? That didn’t matter so long as the faux power remained in his shaking tone. To help them both, he put the knife into his harness.

“And uh…yeah. I hear— I hear it.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He swallows thickly when the voice returns.

...Since you're back in my mind, can you tell me if he's real? I think that's a fair trade.

Please. This has to work. She can hear everything he thinks again! Even the non-deliberate things!! Even this! He didn't even realize he was thinking it!! Come on!!

He takes a breath. Focus. There's a guy here, real or not. He looked insane. He slowly crawled out of the dumpster, making sure to keep his pistol in hand, but aimed down. When his foot lands on the ground, he has to fight the urge to wince. It didn't hurt too much, but it was so unbelievably jarring, he felt like his mind was tearing itself apart at the sensation alone.*

"How long have you been here?"

*He shoots another nervous glance around the alley. He would prefer to not get caught by something while his foot was still... like this.*

limitless-liminals

Do you not believe him? I’d describe him as quite real but it’s up to interpretation I suppose. There’s only so much that a narrator can do.

Anywho…where was I…right…

The man’s eyes widened as he tried to back up more, only for his back to hit the wall. His eyes continued examining, always looking for details, but he continued to stare back to the gun…and now your foot. He was certainly the perceptive one, if I had to say so myself.

“I don’t know…I don’t really— time isn’t something I have a good grasp on. Right before everything started falling around us, I guess?”

With each crash, he flinched and anticipated impact only for it never to come.

“Where even IS here?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Of course I don't believe him! Why would I? I don't know how your powers work yet! I don't know what you're capable of!!

He was starting to get a bit uncomfortable under the other man's gaze. He couldn't exactly help the foot thing, so there was no point in staring. The gun was a bit more understandable, but come on, he has no reason to trust this guy yet!*

"I ain't too sure myself."

*Phoebe flutters out from the dumpster, landing on his head. It throws off his balance for a swift moment, but he regains it rather quickly.*

"The first time things started falling or the second time."

*There were probably times before that, too, but he was going based off of his perception, so...

What was it that caused the falling anyway? Was it you? Were you mad at me? Was that it?

That was probably it. Punishment. Despite the deliberate tone that came with the louder thoughts, there were twinges of guilt and terror laced in it. That all this was his fault. That somehow, someway, everything that's happened to him up until this point was all due to some actions he's taken at some point.*

limitless-liminals

Right…I can’t even blame you for your paranoia since it’ll get you far here. I’ll tell you that I’m primarily behind the scenes. Most of what happens around here is entirely unrelated to my own actions. Believe whatever you want but that’s the truth.

The man’s eyes widened upon seeing the creature land on your head. He seemed torn between reaching out and running away. His mouth fell agape, only for him to to remember to close it a second later.

He shook his head, shaking away his silly ideas, “I’m assuming the second since I don’t know the first. We need to take cover before we keep talking though because—“

CRASH!

Perfect timing. It nearly took out his foot though. Twinning would’ve been horrible in this instance.

“…that. That’s why we should take cover.”

His eyes repeatedly went back to the foreign critter. Words hung on his tongue, unspoken. His eyes narrowed in thought.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stumbles back towards the dumpster at the crash of debris. Phoebe flaps her wings wildly at the movement. She spots the other man and deems him as a much more stable host than Noel and flies over to him, landing on his head.

Noel stares at her just as he's about to swing his leg back into the dumpster.*

"Phoebe, get back here."

*At least she thought he was real. Didn't exactly make him feel any better. He kept his voice stern, like he was commanding a misbehaving child.

Will he hurt her? If he tries to hurt her, can you stop him?*

lepi-rp-sideblog

Believe me, I think you’re fine.

The man nearly dove for the dumpster as well until the pigeon landed on his head, to which he froze like a statue. His breath caught in his throat as if an exhale would disturb the bird. Unlike before, he didn’t flinch at any of the clattering. No, he couldn’t. Not until the bird moved

aguidetothemultiverse

*She doesn't budge.*

"Phoebe!"

*He holsters his pistol, walking over to the other man and snatching the bird from his head.*

"Jesus, I'm sorry about her... Got a mind of her own, this one."

*He chuckles nervously, tucking her under his arm like a book before hopping in the dumpster, taking Phoebe with him.

Oh. He left quite a bit of blood in there.

Are there any bandages around here? I kinda need some, if you couldn't tell.

He really hoped he wasn't losing too much blood to affect his ability to really do much of anything within a matter of hours.*

limitless-liminals

He matches his nervous laugh with one of his own but he doesn’t relax. No, he stayed frigid as he stares with the bird with a level of admiration, terror, and confusion not fit for a pigeon. He glances back to Noel with a furrowed brow and an unspoken question.

“No, no…it’s good. You’re good.”

He physically has to shake his head to reset his mind before climbing into the dumpster. The chaos was picking up around them after all and he didn’t seem to mind the blood too much as he balled himself up.

And to answer your question, there are bandages around here but I’m not allowed to provide you with any.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks Phoebe to his chest, grabbing the lid and slamming it shut when he's confident the other man is fully in the dumpster. And if he was a threat, then... well, Noel had a gun. He also wasn't afraid to use his teeth.

He offers a strange look back at the man's own strange look at the pigeon.

What's his problem with Phoebe? Does he want to eat her? Should I be worried? Did you lie to me before?

The thoughts come in a panicked flurry. He may be able to control what gets through, but he can't control the emotion that comes with them. He's always hated that. The King would take advantage of it when he didn't have the ability to speak, when his face was too swollen for his lips to work, when his tongue was torn out and shoved down his throat.

He takes a breath. Stop thinking about the King. He couldn't let himself get distracted here.*

"Got a name? Or somethin' to call you by?"

*He keeps his voice just barely below a whisper.

You got a name, too?

Might as well know what to call his captor while he's getting names.*

limitless-liminals

The man looked between the bird and you with a furrowed brow, still trying to put some pieces together. Despite that, he was still missing plenty of other pieces that would complete this puzzle.

He had to shake his head again, remembering that he had to respond, “My name is Simon. What’s yours?”

And as for myself, there’s no need for a name. You can call me Narrator one if you wish, or just Narrator. The other voice you hear is called Kiki.

Your other questions are up to you to find out. I will tell you that I don’t tend to be a liar though. I suppose that may be hard to believe for someone like you though.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a scowl at that last comment. "Someone like him"? What was that supposed to mean?! Sure, he had some trouble believing things to be real, but there's reasoning behind it!!

Whatever. Whatever! It didn't matter. He takes a steady breath. He automatically goes to answer as "Charlie," but stops. Dammit, Arthur and John were really getting in his head. He needed to tell them to stop calling him that. It wasn't good for him, no matter how good it felt.*

"Noel."

*He goes to hold his hand out to shake, but pulls his hand back relatively fast. He didn't know if this place had the same greeting customs as back home.

After a moment of confused staring, he cautiously holds Phoebe towards him. She's unbothered by the movement.*

"You ever see a pigeon before?"

*There was a hint of amusement in his voice, but his grip on her was firm. If Simon decided Phoebe was a delicious snack that was only a couple feet away, then he'd get a shoe to the face and Phoebe would be back at his chest. She seemed to trust him, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon nearly goes to shake his hand before raising an eyebrow in confusion at him pulling it back. That was a bit rude but okay…his hands weren’t that gross.

“Nice to meet you,” he nodded, flinching as there was another loud bang.

He was too focused on that, that when presented with the feathered creature, he nearly had a heart attack. Simon froze and shuffled backwards until he was pressed against the side of the dumpster.

“Pi-geon…? Is…is that a pigeon? How do you know what to call it?”

So, clearly the answer was no.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls Phoebe back at Simon's terror of her with a confused smile.*

"Uh... Yeah. She's a pigeon. I know 'cause I live in New York City and they're everywhere...?"

*He chuckles.*

"Have you seriously never seen a pigeon before?"

*He holds her out again. What if this guy was from a timeline where pigeons didn't exist? Or were just a myth? Or... Dead? Why wouldn't pigeons exist??? That didn't make sense to him.*

"She ain't gonna hurt you, at least not on purpose. I should probably shave down her claws at some point, but it won't draw blood."

*The bird in question tilts her head to stare at Simon with a singular eye. She lets out a little rumbly coo.*

"...Actually, I don't think she's ever bit me. She's real docile for a bird that just showed up at my doorstep one day."

limitless-liminals

Simon was frigid, the only motion being one where he pushed his back further into the cool metal. If he hadn’t had thick fabric on, it would’ve been a nice contrast to his clammy skin. If he had a shirt underneath, he would’ve taken it off due to how much the combination of the heat in the garbage and his own nerves was causing him to sweat.

“New York City? That place is long gone.”

What the fuck was happening to him? The only remnants of New York City was what got documented and what information has been carried through oral tradition.

“And no, I’ve never seen a pigeon. It’s not normal to be greeted by a holy being due it just…arriving on your doorstep. You shouldn’t be treating her like a pet.”

Dear God, he was sorry for doubting you because what was THAT?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's dumbfounded. Absolutely dumbfounded.*

"You're jokin', right?"

*He had to be, because he was in the city just a few... Well, he didn't know how long he'd been gone, but he was there!! Recently!! And "holy being"? What??????*

"She's... She's like a rat with wings, doll. If she could eat somethin' she's gonna eat it. That's all pigeons. They're far from holy."

*He looks around for a moment.*

"Frankly, if this thing weren't empty, I'm sure she'd be stuffing her little beak with everything she can."

*Hey Narrator? Could you tell him that pigeons are... Normal? I guess? He's too freaked out and I'm not sure if I could calm him down with just words and shoving Phoebe in his face.*

limitless-liminals

I can not. My role is not to persuade but just to provide information. Telling him that would be cheating.

“No, I’m not joking. I’m saying this out of concern but I don’t think you know what you’re dealing with,” he’s seen enough angel imagery to envision it with his eyes closed.

“Just because it carries silly habits,” Simon glanced at Phoebe, “and forgive me for calling it silly, doesn’t mean she isn’t a higher power.”

Besides, he hardly understood that comparison anyways due to ignorance about rats.

aguidetothemultiverse

*What. Are you serious? Oh, you've got to be kidding him.

That is information. You're not persuading him of anything, you're just telling him that pigeons are normal...? At least this one. I think.

He really hopes that she's a normal pigeon. She hasn't really shown any signs of not being a normal pigeon. If she wasn't a normal pigeon, well... She seemed to like being treated like a normal pigeon.*

"I'm not gonna be able to convince you otherwise, will I?"

*He sets Phoebe in his lap and gently scratches around her eyes. She leans into the touch.*

"Well, whatever you believe, she seems to enjoy being treated like a regular old pigeon. Eats seeds, flies around, coos at me when she wants food, shits in my hat, coos at me some more just for the sake of it. You know, regular old pigeon stuff."

*He keeps scratching her for a moment more. Then stops. He holds her up again.*

"She likes being scratched between her eyes and little ear holes, you know. She'll tilt her head so you could scratch better, even."

limitless-liminals

Pigeons being normal is an opinion. I’m not meant to provide opinions like that. My job is not to argue, just to blend into the background in most cases. Saying that would just begin a conflict I’m not meant to participate in. I’m simply following the rules.

“I don’t know…” He narrowed his eyes, examining the bird closer. “I don’t really have ‘pigeons’ back on Eden…but if she wants to be treated like a normal pigeon, whatever that means, then I won’t deny her.”

He had doubted religion for a long time. It began early but maybe Simon had to reevaluate. It wasn’t as if being taken here has another explanation.

He stared at the pigeon, reaching his hand out, pulling it back, before finally scratching in the spot Noel described.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Eden? Like the garden? From the bible? Was this guy hyper-religious to the point of never seeing a pigeon? Christ...

Well, he could ask questions later. Phoebe was overjoyed at the prospect of a new person. She wrestled her way out of Noel's hands, hopping into Simon's lap and cooing happily. She waltzed around in a small circle before shoving her face back into Simon's hand, awaiting scritches.*

"Looks like she likes you!"

*He chuckles softly at her excitement. She was a goofy little thing. Hold on.

What's Eden? Just the information on it, not opinions.*

simon-thebutcher

Simon sucked in a sharp breath of air as Phoebe hopped onto his laps. His hands floated in the air around him, unsure of what to do before cautiously scratching the same spot as before.

He mumbled something inaudible to Noel but with a tone between confusion and dread. His eyes matched those emotions with eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m glad…” deep breath. “She’s…soft.”

And why don’t you ask him instead? Get to know each other.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a frown again.

Thanks a lot.*

"So, uh... Mind tellin' me what Eden is? Got somethin' to do with the bible?"

*He probably shouldn't throw a barrage of questions at him. But who could blame him for being just a teensy bit curious about the guy who lived somewhere without pigeons who thought they were angels. Pigeons as angels. Sky rats. Equated to angels. There's very clearly something going on here, and it was not normal.*

"You don't gotta, it'll just give me a better grasp of your... Perception of Phoebe."

*How could someone expect another person to treat a pigeon like an angel? That was insane!

Phoebe was having a great time with Simon, though. She nestled into him for a second, then walked around in an excited circle, then bobbed her head up and down, then did it all over again. He really hoped she wouldn't bite him to grab his attention at some point, it might just scare the poor guy away.*

limitless-liminals

He gradually settled down but he instead concentrated his worry on chewing the dead skin off of his lip. Simon watched the bird with the degree of interest a child would upon seeing their favorite cartoon. He couldnt help but snicker a bit at the movements, petting her head again. At the very least, he was quickly getting a tad more used to her.

He had an expression Noel could recognize from a mile away as he described it: longing.

“Ah, Eden is my home. It’s named after the place in the Bible, yes. It used to be a Mars space station, the first human colony beyond earth, before The Quiet Rapture happened and now there’s no Mars. I sometimes wish we had more, sure, but it was home.”

He didn’t understand how Noel didn’t know that already but something was clearly amiss here.

“…how’s New York City?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's utterly dumbfounded. Mars. The fucking planet. This guy made it off Earth. And he lived there. And "The Quiet Rapture"? What the fuck was that??*

"Mars..."

*He couldn't help but blurt it out. His mind was racing. He was speaking with a human from space. He's never done that before! He scrambles for his notebook and quickly jots down "Universe 35 - Eden's home", underlining it few times. Underneath he writes. "Met a guy who used to live on Mars! Now he just lives... out there? I guess?" He underlines "Mars" a few times for emphasis. Because... wow.*

"Uh... Right, New York. It's-"

*This guy's probably never been to Earth. That's why he doesn't know what a pigeon is.*

"Big. To put it simply."

*How does he explain New York City to someone who's never been to Earth??*

"Uh. It's loud. Real loud. Lotta people call it the "City that Never Sleeps", and they're not really lyin' about it. People are always doing something at any hour of the day. All year round."

*Christ, what else can he say? Well. Pigeons. He gestures to Phoebe.*

"Pigeons are everywhere. She's a great example of one. One of the bigger ones that I've seen around, but I've absolutely seen bigger. There's also always some sorta light on. It... can kinda be like a maze if you haven't been there before, but you get the hang of it over time."

*He felt like he was advertising it. There was really no good way to explain the City, especially to someone who'd never been to an Earth city before. But even if they have been to Earth, it was still hard to explain.*

"The buildings are real tall. Call 'em skyscrapers 'cus they touch the sky. And all of them are basically touching, wall to wall. You mix that with the amount of people and you've barely got any room to breathe."

*He chuckles. He kinda missed it, the ability to just... Blend in with the crowd, not get as many strange looks for the large scar that ran across his face, feel like a ghost in a graveyard. Where he was meant to be.

Sure, a break from the crowds was nice, but he preferred not feeling so exposed like this. In one way or another.*

"But, back to you. What's the 'Quiet Rapture'? Is it some War that I should be prepared for in the future?"

*He laughs. It's strained.

Please say no. He couldn't go through another one of those. He couldn't lose his friends again.*

limitless-liminals

Simon glanced back up at him and just sorta…stared. He was trying to put two and two together on why it was so shocking and…why in the world is he writing this down? I mean, they documented stuff on Eden but they didn’t feel the need to document stuff that should be basic knowledge.

His confusion only worsened upon your description as he nodded slowly, trying to picture it in his head. Simon was likely way off but it was better than nothing. It wasn’t as though he had much reference for living spaces that size nor that many people clumped together.

“That’s…woah…weird, but impressive.”

Without realizing, he had stopped petting Phoebe, to which he mumbled an apology for before continuing.

“During the Quiet Rapture, we don’t really know why but all stars and habitable planets just disappeared. There’s space ships and some moons left, sure, but nothing that’s as abundant as Earth’s materials,” he sighed. “I was born after it happened so I can’t give you much besides what I’ve been told.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Maybe I should try drawing it for him... What do you think of that? Or is that too opinionated for you?

He stifles a mischievous little chuckle at that.

As he's taking in the new information about Simon's universe, writing along as fast as he can, Phoebe decides to explore this new person. If he was going to stop petting her, it was her turn to figure this guy out! She clambers up his shirt until she makes it to his shoulder. She tilts her head a few times at his hair (it looked much softer than Noel's, he had to admit).

Then, she plucked a hair from his head, feeling it in her beak. Noel lets out a yelp when he spots her doing this.*

"Hey! Phoebe! You don't need his hair for nesting!! I'll getcha some other stuff!"

*He taps her on the beak lightly, but made sure to have enough force to reprimand her. Nothing that would hurt, if anything, she'd just be annoyed by it.*

"We just met the guy! Be nice!"

*She bites his finger. He frowns at her.*

limitless-liminals

Draw it if you’d like. I’m not stopping you. I think that’s a good way to present information.

Simon was like a statue whenever she explored. He stared with much more fear and uncertainty than what was appropriate for a pigeon. The only reaction she earned was a sharp inhale from her plucking.

Once Noel reacted so freely though, he raised his voice slightly, “Hey, be respectful!”

A crash echoed outside the dumpster right after he spoke.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He slowly holds his hands up in a show of mercy, staring in the direction of the noise. He didn't hurt her...? She was fine. She actually went back to plucking some strands of Simon's hair out, tossing them in Noel's direction.

Also. Did he do that? Or did something hear them? *

"She's not bein' very respectful."

*He grabs her from Simon's shoulder, setting her in his own lap.*

"You're just doin' that to do it, ya little rascal."

*She wrestles out of his grip before settling between the two men. She ignores the couple of strands of hair she pulled from Simon's head, only further proving Noel's point. She then starts to preen herself.*

"She doesn't care, anyway. I do that to her all the time. Hell, I throw her and she enjoys it. A little tap to the nose is probably more playful than reprimanding."

*He grimaces. He should probably find a better form of training her, then...*

limitless-liminals

“She can do whatever she would like,” he scoffed.

Simon allowed her to pluck as much hair as she liked and stared with fascination at the simple act of preening. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. He didn’t have any reference for why she would do that in the first place nor why she needed hair.

But who was he to protest?

Simon plucked out a chunk more of his hair and set it down in front of Phoebe.

“I don’t think she needs reprimanded.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of accepting the clump of hair, she whacks him with her wing as Noel puts his hands up in a panic.*

"Woah, woah, woah! Let's- Let's not tear your whole scalp off for her, alright?"

*He takes Simon's hands and places them in his lap.*

"If she's gonna take your hair, it's gonna be of her own doing. She doesn't really like it when people get hurt. Unless she's the one causing it, I guess."

*He drops his voice to a murmur for that last bit. Simon didn't need to know how much of a hypocrite this bird was. That was for Noel and Phoebe on their own.*

"I let her do most things mosta the time anyway. She could at least be polite to strangers."

*He ruffles the feathers on the top of her head, putting on a voice like one would use to talk to a puppy while speaking to her.*

"Hear that? Be polite, ya little rat!"

*She coos in response, biting his finger playfully. He chuckles softly with a tiny "ow, what the hell, Pheeb?" and a smile on his face.*

limitless-liminals

Simon flinches in surprise, not expecting that reaction. He blinked and stared between the two, assessing the level of danger. Noel seemed to be okay but the ‘pigeon’ was an element that couldn’t be considered as simply. No, he had to tread on thin ice.

“It’s not that much hair, it’s alright…but if she doesn’t want me to, I won’t. I was just trying to help.”

His confusion only increases with the exchange that those two shared, “And she’s just okay with this?”

Anyhow, how long are you two just going to sit here talking?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls his hands away from Phoebe's face, who immediately goes to waddle back into his lap. He gestures to her.*

"Seems it to me."

*He chuckles a little at her. His stupid pigeon. To think that he tried to get rid of her at first.

And then he sighs, closing his eyes. He briefly thinks to appreciate Arthur for his ability to hold a straight face most of the time.*

"Is the narrator also trying to get you out of the dumpster? Even though she, uh, you know, told me to come in here?"

*There's a twinge of anger in his voice, but he smiles with it. It's a very strained smile.*

"Oh, also, didn't you just hear some rubble outside? Or was that just me?"

*Passive aggression, what a tool. His favorite, even. Maybe he was a bit light on the "passive" part of it, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon smiled at the bird’s behavior, finally settling into the existence of her at the very least. She seemed to be happy from his first impression, so who was he to judge? That wasn’t his role in existence.

“Uh, they never told me to jump into here but they’re also not telling me to get out? They’ve been quite quiet for me. Are they not quiet for you…? I don’t even have a label like you do.”

Another crash hit outside, louder, angry.

“But yeah, I’ve been hearing everything crashing.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He can feel his eye twitch.*

"No, no, they've been talkin' back and forth with me for a bit. Asked us how long we were going to sit here and chat for."

*He glares at the roof of the dumpster.*

"Come on, now that I'm acknowledging you, you don't wanna say anything?"

*He sighs, turning his attention back to Simon.*

"If you think really loud in sentences, it can be a back and forth conversation. Well, back and forth if I can get a response at all."

*He was very tired of this. The not-his pain was starting to make him a bit woozy. It was probably blood loss.*

"Could you tell me what's makin' the ruckus outside yet or is the answer to that still no?"

*He crosses his arms, letting his back fall against the side of the dumpster as he awaits a response from the Narrator.*

limitless-liminals

“Really? I haven’t gotten anything like that.”

He paused for a moment, trying to think really hard like Noel instructed. It wasn’t an elaborate message, just a simple hello, an attempt to reach out. I responded back with a hello despite my discomfort.

To be frank with you, I don’t respond to you when I’m addressed because I don’t exactly like being addressed. That’s not my role. I’d enjoy it if you quit.

If you’re gonna keep asking, you’re gonna get similar replies though. If you wish to find out that information, go explore for yourself.

“What’s she saying to you? I just got a hello.”

aguidetothemultiverse

"Okay. Okay, sure..."

*He says it breathless, tired, done. He presses the balls of his palms into his eyes, tilts his head back, and groans.*

"Saying she doesn't like being addressed and that we should 'explore for ourselves'..."

*He drops his hands, glances at his wounded foot, then looks to the lid of the dumpster.*

"I'd personally rather be safe and sent home."

*There's some bite to his words now.*

"But sure, whatever. I'll go exploring. Hey, maybe I'll die! Wouldn't that be a fun narration?"

*Full bite. He shifts Phoebe to his shoulder, who is none the wiser and nestles into him. Just as he's about to push the top open, he pauses. When he speaks, none of that vitriol is there anymore. Just that sweet talking, New York accented voice.*

"Pain is different here, by the way. It doesn't feel like its on your body, but it's still there. Real weird. Just wanted to warn ya."

*And he hops out. He has to stifle a grunt of pain when he lands, not just from his foot, but in general. He was getting too old to be doing this sorta thing.*

limitless-liminals

I’ve narrated quite a few deaths. Some are more entertaining than others but only one have I had any direct influence on. I control your senses. I’d watch what you say.

“Honestly, this place very well may be better than home,” Simon grumbled.

He hesitated a second before following after you, not enjoying the idea of death. It certainly wasn’t a sweat taste on his tongue.

“That’s…odd,” he stared at Noel’s foot. “I’ll take it that’s how you found that out?”

Another crash. A building a few feet away crumbling to bits.

“We should get that bandages somehow…”

aguidetothemultiverse

It’s getting quite hot out here, is it not? I’m going to have to switch to my summer clothes soon! If you would be so kind, dear, what is Noel doing on this sweltering afternoon?

@limitless-liminals

*He's been hanging around the infirmary, staying close by Arthur and John's side, monitoring his healing. His guilt was eating him up. Any time Phoebe lost a feather, he'd pick it up and fiddle with it until it practically fell apart, much to Phoebe's dismay. She was trying to nest out of those!! On Arthur's chest!!! And he was taking her nesting materials!!*

limitless-liminals

A knock rang through the infirmary from the door but when he turned, there would be no one there. What was there instead was an ethereal, white feather that glittered in the sterile lights as it floated down from the top of the doorway.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tenses immediately. He stares suspiciously at the feather. No. Nope. Not doing that.

He grabs Phoebe and sets her to his chest. She would not be the reason he gets into another eldritch mess, she would not be getting hurt by another eldritch being. Nope.

But, God, his curiosity was killing him. He wanted to know what was up with this. Why a feather? Why a feather when he just got attached to this bird?? What was trying to lure him? Where was it trying to lure him?*

limitless-liminals

Plop.

It was a wet splotch as it hit the tile and it sounded as though it dropped into a puddle that never was there. The shape was round, a perfect sphere roughly the size of a marble, white with another circle colored with— It was an eyeball.

*Yikes! People typically need those, don’t you think? Well, unless you’re like our buddy Arthur here who conveniently has a John to keep him company.*

The narrator spoke in a cheerful tone within his head, a sing-song lilt in each syllable with a poorly hidden giggle. Their voice was fairly androgynous, maybe a tad masculine if you squint, but it was fairly young if Noel had to guess.

*Aw, thank you for the compliment! I don’t consider myself that young but I’m glad I still have my sparkle. Oh! Shoot, Noel, you can’t hear the other voice, can you? I’m sorry for the confusion, I’ll quiet down!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He grimaces.*

"Goddammit... Not again..."

*His voice shakes. He was so tired. He was so fucking tired. He didn't want to hear any more voices. The King was bad enough in the Dreamlands, then there was Aamon, and now this?!

He glanced around nervously. Maybe other people could see this. Maybe other people could hear this. Maybe it wasn't just him being greeted by whatever this was.

That or he had finally lost it. Maybe he really went cooky this time. He knew he'd snap at some point, but frankly, he was expecting a bit more time until then.

...Was any of this real? Did he just... Die at the Order and this is... What, his brain making something up to ease him into death? This wasn't a fun way to be eased into death. He'd assume that his brain would pick something nicer. Maybe the real Noel, or Roland. Hey, maybe both. Of course, Arthur and John would be there, too.

Ugh, stay focused, Dowd! This thing can speak in his head, he shouldn't be getting distracted!!*

limitless-liminals

*Huh, not again? Does this specific stuff happen to you a lot? I know someone who has a repeating scenario happen every two days! Is it like that?*

Dear, as much as I love your enthusiasm, let’s stick to the plot.

*Oh! Right, the plot. So sorry. I need to stop getting side tracked.*

The eye began rolling toward Noel, each time sounding like it was in an ocean of viscous liquid that never was there. The floor remained as dry as it typically was.

aguidetothemultiverse

"N-No- No, no! We're not doing this!"

*He places Phoebe on Arthur's cot, pulling his pistol out and pointing it at the eye. He stands on the chair to get more distance.*

"Stay back!! I'm not- I'll shoot!!"

limitless-liminals

*Huh? Thats not me. Thats just an eye, silly!*

It stopped rolling and the feather began flying through the air as if on wind that didn’t exist in the infirmary. It made circles before looping back around and weaving through the air in various zig zags.

The eye only watched.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He cowers away from the feather, aiming his gun at the both of them.*

"Leave me alone!!"

*He was shaking. He needed to stop doing that. It was happening too much. He just needed to calm down. Maybe this was all fake. Maybe this was a dream. Hey, this would be wonderful if it were a dream. He'd just need to wake up.

...He could shoot his foot to wake himself up. Ehh, that should probably be a last resort thing.*

limitless-liminals

*What was next on the itinerary?*

The sound of rummaging through papers could be heard as I try to search for the list. Typically, I was more organized than this but with all the new information they’ve been giving out, it was nearly impossible.

*Take your time!*

Found it! Okay, Noel needs to…I probably shouldn’t say this where the viewers can see. Come closer to me so you can read it.

*hmmm….got it! Noel, honey, let’s put the gun down.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What?? No! He'd never do that!! He wasn't giving in! He's never given in before, he wasn't planning on starting now!!*

"Do you think I'm an idiot??"

*He shoots a glance at Phoebe. If this damn bird goes over to any of what's happening right now, he swears he'll be having roasted pigeon for dinner.*

"And don't call me honey. You're not gonna win me over with sweet words."

limitless-liminals

*A little, yeah, there’s not really avoiding this part. We kind of need it for the plot.*

The feather floated directly onto Arthur’s chest, not moving any more once it situated directly in the center. The eyeball just watched, pupil going wherever movement did.

*Actually, hold on, I think the rules got revised for what was allowed in there.*

More rummaging of paper.

*Oh! Nevermind, you can keep your gun. I’m sorry.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Phoebe eyes the feather curiously. It would work wonderfully in her little nest here... She took a step towards it and was almost immediately scooped up by Noel. He presses her against his chest and she lets out a shocked coo.*

"Leave me alone! I've got no information for ya! I've got nothin'!"

limitless-liminals

*…Why would I care for information? I got all the info I need!*

The sound of a pen scratching on paper could be heard followed the sound of footsteps. My lover hums gently as she reads over the words. Her voice-

*AHHHH! HOLY SHIT, ARTHUR! OH NO, OH NO, OH NO. THE FEATHER. YOU GOT TO DISPOSE OF IT. GET IT AWAY. BURN IT OUTSIDE. ITS THE ONLY WAY! GET UP! GET UP! FUCK, WAKE UP!*

…Okay, maybe it didn’t need to be that loud. Ouch.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He winces at the sudden increase in volume. When she quiets down, he leans forward and blows it off of Arthur's chest. Someone else could go and burn it. He was done leaving Arthur and John's side. He wasn't doing that again. They needed him, at least for now. At least while vulnerable like this.*

limitless-liminals

*Bud, you better go and light that feather on fire! I could stick you in a really horrible level if I—*

—I love the enthusiasm, honey, but let’s tone it down. Let’s turn to the collective vote of the viewers at home to see if we have the permission to skip over the process we had written down! He may end up in another level than what was planned but hey, who doesn’t love some improv?

Mumbling filled every corner of the room, seeping in from where we came from. I always hate how our worlds will bleed together but it’s inevitable.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He shudders, but doesn't budge. Whatever a "level" was, it didn't mean anything to him currently. If it was meant to be a meaningful threat, it really wasn't. He didn't even have a lighter!!*

"Come up with a better threat, doll."

*He tried to ignore the mumbling. It wasn't anything too out of the norm while encountering gods, so it was to be expected. It didn't make it any less unsettling, though. His ears always strained to understand what was being said, even if he didn't want to.

He held Phoebe a little closer to his chest. This thing couldn't do much to this world without his input, could it? And if it could, well, it hadn't yet. Just sounded like a challenge to him, so how much he could piss them off before some shit started happening.*

limitless-liminals

*The votes are in! Drum roll please!*

The sound of pit-patter covered up the mumbling as people slapped their legs repeatedly.

*WE’RE STICKING TO THE PLAN! For now at least…I quite like the idea we had going with this one.*

The feather blew back onto Arthur’s chest with some unnatural current of wind except this time, it didn’t settle there. It began trying to push through his lips and down his throat, easily going halfway there.

*And for your information, that was a great threat! You’re just dumb.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His eyes widen and he jumps to grab the feather, but stops a couple of inches away. Instead of just grabbing it, he wriggles his arm down his sleeve and grabs it, throwing it across the room. Of course, it's a feather, so things don't go exactly according to plan, but it's out of his grasp almost the second it was in it.*

"Tell me why it's good, then."

*He glares at the eyeball on the floor. A thought crosses his mind. He walks over to it and holds his foot above the organ. He goes quiet, listening.*

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see!*

Her voice was playful and more of a song than speaking as she held out the last syllable.

The feather complied with your action, remaining on the floor. We don’t have too much use for it anymore considering your lack of compliance.

The eyeball just watched. Unblinking.

*It doesn’t exactly have eye lids to blink with.*

Eh, you get the point.

*Squashing that thing won’t do much good for you though!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He frowns.*

"What'll happen? Why shouldn't I?"

*He shifts his grip on Phoebe. She felt real... Right?"

limitless-liminals

*You know what, now I don’t want to tell you anymore.*

Phoebe felt as real as she did before. The other objects were a different story. Your eyes began to develop a slight hazey filter over anything else you saw. Your only anchor was the pigeon.

aguidetothemultiverse

tw self harm

*His face goes blank. Oh. Okay. Uh. Cool.

He takes a couple of shaky steps away from the eye. Then points his pistol at his foot.

Without an ounce of hesitation, he pulls the trigger.*

limitless-liminals

*Yowch!*

It didn’t feel real.

The pain didn’t come as it typically would.

No, you felt it distantly with the same hazey filter.

Did it ever truly happen?

Maybe, you need to shoot again?

*I’ll take over the description then. Her voice had a hidden smile in its tone, barely contained by any attempts to relax back to the continuous monotone.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He felt dizzy. No... No. He's done this so many times. Did... He couldn't... No, no, no, no!

He drops the bird, or whatever it was, and falls to his knees. He curls his arms around his head.

And he screams.

Because he can't be back. There was no way. There was no way that these past two years have all been fake. It wasn't possible. He's shot his foot enough times to know that, but now? How now? When did the King get access to him again? And now he knew where that other half was?

So he screams. This was it. He was going to die. This was how he died. He couldn't do it again. It'd either be by his own hands or the King's, but either way, he was dying.

His screams quickly bled into sobs. He couldn't do this. He couldn't do this again.*

limitless-liminals

Ouch, my eardrums!

*You don’t even have those!*

Okay, but it’s a phrase! How am I meant to narrate in these conditions!

*Uh, uh, uh! I don’t know! Make him shut up!*

I hold my hands over my ear holes and I feel the road of my eye shake as I try to regulate myself. I never took fondly to loud noise and— CAN YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY OR I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL DROP YOU IN THE WORST CIRCUMSTANCES YOU CAN THINK OF! I WAS THINKING OF LETTING YOU WARM UP TO THE WHOLE PLACE BUT NOOOO, YOU HAVE TO SCREECH LIKE A BABY!

*…Three deep breathes*

…The sound of breathing can be heard.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tries to follow along with the sound of breathing, even if it wasn't for him, but he can't catch his breath. Tears flow freely from his eyes.

He can't do this again. He can't! He barely made it out alive last time! And Phoebe!! What would she do without him!!

He felt like a child. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go home with his Ma and Pa and curl up in their arms and never deal with this again.*

limitless-liminals

I don’t care. We’re skipping the pretenses to this. I’m done. I’ve had enough. We’re—

BOOOOOOOOOO

SHUT UP, SHUT THE FUCK UP! I DONT CARE WHAT THE VIEWERS WANT. YOURE LUCKY TO HAVE A GODDAMN SHOW. I DONT HAVE TO LIVE STREAM THIS.

*Uh, babe…turn around…*

What? What are you talking about? I— AGHHMMMMTGGGPPGHGGGGGGGG

*…Click…her mic has been muted…I- uh….gods, okay…I guess it’s just you and me now, big guy!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He only curls up more at the voice, shaking violently. He couldn't catch his breath. He couldn't stop sobbing. He couldn't he couldn't he couldn't he couldn't-

Phoebe? Was she still here? Where was his bird? He needed her right now. Where was she? Was she as scared as he was? He couldn't see. He couldn't think. Where was his bird?*

limitless-liminals

*Your bird is where you’d find her typically. Nothing happened to her. Nothing would happen to her.*

Her voice is shaky and uncertain. She moves away from the mic every so often, checking her surroundings, before going back to narrating.

*Lets…okay, please, for both of our sakes, follow my instructions, okay? Please. It will come for me too.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*One hand goes to clamp over his mouth, the other reaching for Phoebe, who immediately presses into him. He has to stifle a wail.

He curls around her, letting his tears drip onto her feathers. He gasps. Air. He needed air. Maybe they could help him get air.

He nods. Okay. Okay, they could maybe help him, even if they got him into this mess.*

limitless-liminals

*okay, okay, thank you, I appreciate it. Just…you see that tile that to the right of the door? I need you to stand on that. You can take the bird with you, I don’t care, you just gotta do that.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He nods again. He just... needed to catch his breath first. Everything was spinny. Deep breath. In and out. It was fine. He shifted the hand from his mouth to Phoebe, feeling her feathers.

Walk over to the tile. That's all he needed to do. The first step was get his feet underneath him. Okay, he could do that. He planted his feet on the floor and-

Oh. That was... disorientating. His pain immediately got more intense, but... was it even his own pain? When he stood up, his leg almost gave out. It was probably his pain. Oh, he hated this. He hated this so much. This was just like the Dreamlands. Oh, he was going to vomit.

No, he had a task. Stay focused, Dowd!!

He hobbled (because that's what it was, his foot was almost dragging behind him) over to the tile, Phoebe held tightly in his arms. He stands on it.

God, he felt like a kid, holding Phoebe like she was a stuffed animal, tears pouring from his eyes. He couldn't even stop it if he tried.*

limitless-liminals

She cleared her throat. *Lock in*

*As soon as your foot hit the tile, the solid ground gave no support as that portion of you just continued slipping down

and down

and down

Down

Down and—

Someone’s leg shouldn’t be able to go this far without the other one following. Actually, the floor shouldn’t seem like nothing more than an illusion in the first place but here we are.*

*The sense of falling was immense and took over every alarm bell but other than the one limb sending those signals, everything else was normal. Your eyes told you that you were planted on the ground. Your other leg was planted on the ground. You weren’t actually falling yet.*

*Itd make the most sense to say the falling leg was extending in order to keep you upright, like some cartoon logic, but none of your nerves sent those signals. The limb was distinctly yours, untouched and unaltered.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*That didn't stop him from getting dizzy by it. He went to take a step away, but stumbled, falling straight on his ass. He clutched Phoebe a little tighter, who lets out a surprised coo.*

"What the fuck?!"

*He felt so sick. Ever since this all started, he felt unbelievably sick. He screwed his eyes shut and tilted his head to the side. Phoebe let out an alarmed coo in response. She rumbles and flaps her wings, trying to get his attention.*

"Phee- Pheeb, just- It's okay- Fuck-"

*He takes a shaky breath, trying to push the nausea that was quickly creeping up on him away.*

limitless-liminals

*…Okay, maybe hop in this time…That way you aren’t just sorta…standing there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His breathing starts to pick up again.*

"How do I-"

*Breathe, Charlie. He'll be okay. He's been through worse. It'll be okay.*

"How do I know that this won't kill me?"

*He needed to stop crying. He needed to breathe. He needed to relax. Panic never got him anywhere. Except keep him alive a few times. He just needed to school it in.*

limitless-liminals

*Trust me, bro? I don’t know. This itself won’t kill you but other stuff can. Let’s just….get back to the tile, okay?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*It takes a moment, but he nods.*

"...Okay..."

*He wanted a name for this thing. But that would have to wait. He shimmied closer to the tile. There was no way he was jumping with how strange his foot was feeling, so trying to position himself over it entirely would have to do.*

limitless-liminals

*Fortunately, that was enough to cause your whole body to phase through the tile. What arrived on the other side of the veil was a foggy, night sky with way too many stars and a plummeting descent to the concrete street below. Your body was roughly 20 yards off the ground.*

*Swallowing up every inch of the landscape were skyscrapers much like the ones you saw in New York, just a tad more futuristic than his era. Between each boxy building were alleyways, if you could call them that. They spanned a mere foot but typically sized dumpsters still remained, part of them stuck in the wall like a poorly placed video game object.*

*The streets, perfectly straight and lacking any potholes or signs of use overall, were vacant of any life. No children laughed at the park down the road, no one was performing street art, nor were there anyone walking in a crowded herd of bumping shoulders. Nothing that would make this city truly feel like a city. The only sign of home you got was the wafting scent of cigarettes.*

*The stoplights and crosswalks worked all the same though, going from red, to yellow, to green. A button near the crosswalk said “wait” in its robotic voice as though it had been pressed, followed but the walking symbol and the command to “walk”.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He curls around Phoebe as he falls, holding her as close as possible. He had to fight to not scream. He needed to be quiet. He didn't know where he was. He wanted to go home.

He doesn't move when he meets the ground, only curling up further and sobbing quietly. He didn't know what was happening. He was scared. He was oh, so scared.*

limitless-liminals

*Do you need a moment…? Medical assistance may- err- nevermind, I can’t give that.*

She looked over her shoulder for me

*Take a deep breath. You’ll be okay. Dont pigeons like the city or whatever?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't move. He doesn't lift his head up. He doesn't stand up. He stays curled up around Phoebe. She was letting out little annoyed coos, but wasn't trying to escape his grasp.*

"What do you- What do you want from me?"

*His voice was barely audible. There was a rasp to it, probably from the screaming and crying. It didn't feel raw, though.*

limitless-liminals

*……Let’s just keep on move, alright, hun? Give me something to narrate.*

aguidetothemultiverse

"No!"

*He whips his head up, glaring at the sky.*

"Tell me what you want from me!! I'll tell you if I could do it!!"

*He clenched his teeth. He could feel the golden tooth push into his gum. He would not go through that again.*

"And if I can't, what will you do?"

*His pained expression slowly morphed into something else. A strange smile spread across his face, the tears still flowing. And he laughed.*

"Torture me? Kill me?! Just tell me already! Rip the bandage off!!"

limitless-liminals

*I want you to keep moving. You can do that, can’t you? Limp around if you have to but keep moving.*

She looked over her shoulder again.

*…please.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He laughs a little harder.*

"I already said no! Tell me the truth! Tell me why you brought me here!"

*Phoebe squirms in his grasp.*

"Tell me what you want from me!!"

limitless-liminals

*How about no! And you should- OH, OH, NEVERMIND, YOU ACTUALLY REALLY NEED TO GET GOING. FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't comply. He tucks his legs to his chest, guarding Phoebe from the outside world, and stares at the sky. Waiting for an answer to his question.

And he wouldn't budge until he got it. He needed an explanation. He wasn't going to run if he didn't know what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing came.

*Damn, normally that works. Did evolution skip over the whole fight or flight thing with you? …Were you alive when they came up with evolution? Does the word make sense to you?….anyways!*

footsteps echoed through the confines of the city but not from anywhere on the ground. It came from the sky. Nothing in the air explained the noise but it circled all around her.

*…okayyoumightreallyneedtogetamoveon. IlltellyouwhatIwantlater.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He still doesn't budge. He. Wanted. His. Answer. He didn't believe those footsteps were real. He didn't. And if he got hurt, then he could take it. He's had worse. He'd been torn apart, head to toe, and got back up fine.

His heart was racing, though. His mind was whispering worries. He wouldn't let it win, though. He wouldn't run until he knew what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

*The footsteps only got louder and louder, vibrating the concrete with each bellowing step. Despite the being never putting a foot down on the ground, the noise of cracking concrete split through the eerie silence and chunks of it clattered around you in various sizes, from pebbles to bricks*

*Please, just…Move bit to the alley?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps violently at the debris, scrambling into the alley without a second thought. He pressed himself into the wall, tucking Phoebe away in his shirt. She protests a little, but only to stick her head out to see what was happening.

He shook and trembled, then glared at the sky. Could this thing hear his thoughts?

Hey, Jackass!

Come on, this has to work.

Tell me what you want from me!! I did what you asked, now tell me why you brought me here!*

limitless-liminals

*I can hear you, no need to yell or name call.* she giggled but it sounded stiff like an actor who’d never been properly told how to emote.

*….*

*Let’s check out the inside of the dumpster as I explain, yeah?*

The footsteps never stop. I thunder overhead like a vicious storm but I never once appear within your gaze. It’s hopeless to try.

*It wasn’t entirely up to me. I don’t know what they want but I’m just here to do what I gotta do. I liked your pigeon, so I maybe swayed the choice a bit.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What does Phoebe have to do with any of this? Couldn't you just have found another pigeon or something?

He cautiously shuffles over to the dumpster, eyeing it suspiciously.

What's in there? What do you want me to do with this??

He wasn't exactly in the mood for dumpster diving while his foot felt like this. Whatever this meant. All he really knew was that it wasn't pleasant and walking was a bit hard, so he clearly got injured. He didn't want it getting infected.*

limitless-liminals

*Have you seen her? She’s just so cute!*

*The open dumpster in front of you was eerily clean and shone with a brightness that didn’t match the dimness of the alleyway. The same hazy filter covered your vision from when you were falling, except this time it wasn’t as bad. The longer you lingered the worse the haze got as the scent of vinegar flooded your nostrils.*

*The green color of the water bottle blended in with the background of the dumpster as it sat perfectly upright. The only thing that stood out against the rest of the metal was the matte, black, plastic lid.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*...That... Still didn't seem very appealing. He didn't exactly feel like hurling his guts the second he saw his body stretch for the second time within a few minutes.

Where will that take me?

He wasn't exactly pleased about running for his life again. And fighting with this... being to get some basic answers while doing so? With some strange, Dreamlands-like logic?

...Why didn't he think of this before.

Kayne. Send me back to the Waylay. Arthur and John are going to panic. At least let me say goodbye.

Please. He didn't want to lose them yet. He wanted to go back to the Waylay.

The realization shocks him a little. Why go back there? With the many unknown dangers? Why not want to go home home?

...Because he didn't have a home anymore. Of course. He cringed at himself.

Wait, can you hear everything I'm thinking? Even the things I'm not thinking... Louder? I guess?

Say no. Please say no.*

limitless-liminals

*…You want me to say no, but I think we both know the answer is yes.* she awkwardly cleared her throat.

*Theres not really an “Off the air” button for you folks like there is for my partner and I. If you can think it, I can work my way into your mind…people usually don’t think about that and I get some…creative folks.*

*Anyways! Who is Kayne? And I don’t think that guy can bring you anywhere? That dumpster you may have to find out about though.*

*CRASH!*

*A block of concrete landed a foot away from your head, cracking the floor.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps away from the debris, stifling a yelp. Phoebe lets out a soft coo in response. He plants his hand over his beak.

Well, lucky for you, I've had practice.

That was all he needed. His mind went quiet. Eerily quiet. He's clearly done this before. They couldn't even read his expression.

He shuffled over to the dumpster. He put his hands on his hips. He stared at it blankly. His thoughts come back.

Do you not know where this goes?

His thoughts go silent again.*

limitless-liminals

*HEY, WHAT, THATS NOT FAIR! COME BACK!*

*The steps paused over head and alongside your thoughts going silent, so did the city. You could hear a pin drop and each breath carried farther on the wind than you might’ve been comfortable with.*

*And I know where that dumpster goes, thank you very much. The waterbottle is still in there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He smiles, raising an eyebrow.

Care to fill me in, doll?

Silence.

If not, I do quite enjoy the quiet...

He steps away from the dumpster, leaning on the opposite wall and staring up at the sky. Smiling. Cocky.*

limitless-liminals

*I actually…uhm…hold on…*

Shuffling papers filled the silence.

*…one second.*

More shuffling, frantic.

*So…this is awkward but I lost the paper…and I don’t know this area that well so…we can find out together?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His smile falls. He raises an eyebrow.

Silence.*

limitless-liminals

*…You just gonna stand there? I lost the paper. There’s not much I can do…*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't budge. Guess the answer was yes.*

limitless-liminals

*Damn, okay. I could really use my partner right now. They’d know where to find it…*

More scavenging and then a satisfied hum.

*Oh! Okay, found it. Let me read anddddddd….huh, that’s a surprise. So, it’s actually just a normal dumpster. Well, as normal as you can get around here.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of moving, he checks his wrist like he's checking a watch. He doesn't have a watch.*

limitless-liminals

*Did you hear me? It’s a normal dumpster! What more are you wantttinnnggggg.* she whined like a toddler having a tantrum.

*rude.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He taps his foot a few times, then pulls Phoebe out of his shirt, holding her under his arm like a pile of books.

Okay, well. If you're gonna be like that, what was the thing stomping around before?*

limitless-liminals

*Be like WHAT? I’m not being like anything. I’m just trying to have a dandy ol’ day and you’re— you know what, never mind. Fine, okay, the thing was—*

—No.

*…Something I can’t say.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Aaand silence.*

limitless-liminals

*Well, fuck you too. Have fun navigating this place alone.*

My stomping begun once again and with it, a storm of concrete hit the floor as buildings began to crumble and collapse.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stays quiet for a little longer. That is, until

Do you control that?

They're let back in. Fear is radiating off of him. He was able to mask all of that. The terror, the fear, the dread. He knew how to hide that.

The King trained him well.

He walks over to the dumpster. His fear spikes before easing a bit. Just water. A normal dumpster for this place. It would be fine.*

limitless-liminals

They won’t reply to you. No, you fucked up. You pushed too hard and now you’re at this world’s mercy.

They were your guide. Your light in the tunnel. A potential road to escape if you played your cards right but you dealt the wrong hand.

The voice came like a whisper on the wind, guiding each syllable against his eardrum. A piece of concrete smashed the floor right next to his foot as a nearby building was dangerously leaning.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Oh, fuck him. He immediately hops in the dumpster, infection be damned. He slams the lid over his head, screws his eyes shut, and clings to Phoebe like his life depends on it. Because honestly? It kind of does. He's alone again. He only has this damn bird. And she didn't know what the hell was happening either. She was a bird.*

limitless-liminals

The chaos around him ensued like a horrible thunderstorm. At one point, the concrete slamming against the floor was loud enough to shake the confines of the dumpster. Simultaneously, a giant chunk slammed against the plastic cover, nearly crushing it, while another dented the side with a bang.

Amongst the chaos was a rushing footsteps that slammed against the floor in a flurry. They turned in direction several times, as if searching. Either that, or it was general panic. It was close to his dumpster.

A friend?

“What the fuck!”

The yell was like a whisper amongst the noise.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks one arm over his head and curls around his core, keeping Phoebe there. He wanted to ignore how much he was shaking.

And a voice. A human voice. He could almost cry with relief. Maybe he was. He couldn't tell. He was so tired of this.

What if it was a trick. Could he take that risk? Could he take the risk of a trick for the chance of seeing another person here? To see another person terrified and in need of help, just like him.

No. No, he couldn't. He was told to go in here. So he would. And he would stay here, even if they didn't come back. It was hidden, it was safer than being out in the open like that.*

limitless-liminals

There was a crash and then the footsteps sprinted right beside the dumpster. It was difficult to hear over everything else but their breathing was ragged and frantic, more akin to wheezing than anything else.

“Holy shitholyshitholyshit,” the voice muttered, yelping as concrete hit the top of the dumpster right again.

But it didn’t break.

Logical reasoning would deduce that he probably had a second before the dumpster was opened.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Well... It'd be fine. He has a gun. If this is a trick, if this person did mean harm, he has his gun! He could just... Shoot. That's what people do with guns.

He took a deep breath to calm his shaking hands. He clicked the safety off his pistol. And he aimed.

And waited.

His shaking didn't stop. He cursed himself internally for the stupid adrenaline that's almost always running through his veins nowadays.*

limitless-liminals

The was a tiny pause of hesitation where the plastic was peaked open become being pulled open fully. What awaited on the other side was a scrappy looking man adorning a light taupe hood and dark green sweater that have both been patched and stitched together ten times at least. In his right hand, he held a knife but he wasn’t pointing it at Noel or anything in particular.

The man slammed the dumpster shut upon staring down the barrel of a gun, leaping at least four feet back. In that split second, Noel could see the wide eyes and sweating skin.

Silence. How the fuck is he meant to reply to that? Does he run?

aguidetothemultiverse

*Noel wouldn't be surprised if he looked like a scared kid, hiding away in a dumpster like this.

...

Okay. Uh... Okay. He... he looked pretty real, but... There was no way to tell.

...There was really no harm in asking, was there? Deep breath, Charlie.

He lifted the lid and peeked out at the man, staring at him with a furrowed brow. He clicks the safety back on, but keeps his pistol in hand.*

"...Are you real?"

*He sticks his head fully out of the dumpster, glancing around the alley. Why did they want him to jump in here?? What the fuck?*

"Can..."

*Oh, he was going to sound insane...*

"Can you hear the... uh... The voice?"

*Was there anything more insane than a man in his 40s hiding in a dumpster aiming a pistol at some random guy with a pigeon on his chest?*

limitless-liminals

They stared, utterly baffled. Speaking of the voices, I finally returned from my not so kind break. I’m sorry if it takes me a second to get caught back up to speed.

Anyhow, the man’s eyes are flickering and head spinning around every so often, scanning for information. He flinches with every noise and presses his back against the wall. He looked just as panicked as you did and with his malnourished frame, there was a tad bit of resemblance between you and him during your…not so fortunate days.

“I think? Yes, I think I’m real,” he said, out of breath. He patted himself just to be sure.

“Can we— let’s put the gun away,”

who was he to make demands right now? That didn’t matter so long as the faux power remained in his shaking tone. To help them both, he put the knife into his harness.

“And uh…yeah. I hear— I hear it.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He swallows thickly when the voice returns.

...Since you're back in my mind, can you tell me if he's real? I think that's a fair trade.

Please. This has to work. She can hear everything he thinks again! Even the non-deliberate things!! Even this! He didn't even realize he was thinking it!! Come on!!

He takes a breath. Focus. There's a guy here, real or not. He looked insane. He slowly crawled out of the dumpster, making sure to keep his pistol in hand, but aimed down. When his foot lands on the ground, he has to fight the urge to wince. It didn't hurt too much, but it was so unbelievably jarring, he felt like his mind was tearing itself apart at the sensation alone.*

"How long have you been here?"

*He shoots another nervous glance around the alley. He would prefer to not get caught by something while his foot was still... like this.*

limitless-liminals

Do you not believe him? I’d describe him as quite real but it’s up to interpretation I suppose. There’s only so much that a narrator can do.

Anywho…where was I…right…

The man’s eyes widened as he tried to back up more, only for his back to hit the wall. His eyes continued examining, always looking for details, but he continued to stare back to the gun…and now your foot. He was certainly the perceptive one, if I had to say so myself.

“I don’t know…I don’t really— time isn’t something I have a good grasp on. Right before everything started falling around us, I guess?”

With each crash, he flinched and anticipated impact only for it never to come.

“Where even IS here?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Of course I don't believe him! Why would I? I don't know how your powers work yet! I don't know what you're capable of!!

He was starting to get a bit uncomfortable under the other man's gaze. He couldn't exactly help the foot thing, so there was no point in staring. The gun was a bit more understandable, but come on, he has no reason to trust this guy yet!*

"I ain't too sure myself."

*Phoebe flutters out from the dumpster, landing on his head. It throws off his balance for a swift moment, but he regains it rather quickly.*

"The first time things started falling or the second time."

*There were probably times before that, too, but he was going based off of his perception, so...

What was it that caused the falling anyway? Was it you? Were you mad at me? Was that it?

That was probably it. Punishment. Despite the deliberate tone that came with the louder thoughts, there were twinges of guilt and terror laced in it. That all this was his fault. That somehow, someway, everything that's happened to him up until this point was all due to some actions he's taken at some point.*

limitless-liminals

Right…I can’t even blame you for your paranoia since it’ll get you far here. I’ll tell you that I’m primarily behind the scenes. Most of what happens around here is entirely unrelated to my own actions. Believe whatever you want but that’s the truth.

The man’s eyes widened upon seeing the creature land on your head. He seemed torn between reaching out and running away. His mouth fell agape, only for him to to remember to close it a second later.

He shook his head, shaking away his silly ideas, “I’m assuming the second since I don’t know the first. We need to take cover before we keep talking though because—“

CRASH!

Perfect timing. It nearly took out his foot though. Twinning would’ve been horrible in this instance.

“…that. That’s why we should take cover.”

His eyes repeatedly went back to the foreign critter. Words hung on his tongue, unspoken. His eyes narrowed in thought.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stumbles back towards the dumpster at the crash of debris. Phoebe flaps her wings wildly at the movement. She spots the other man and deems him as a much more stable host than Noel and flies over to him, landing on his head.

Noel stares at her just as he's about to swing his leg back into the dumpster.*

"Phoebe, get back here."

*At least she thought he was real. Didn't exactly make him feel any better. He kept his voice stern, like he was commanding a misbehaving child.

Will he hurt her? If he tries to hurt her, can you stop him?*

lepi-rp-sideblog

Believe me, I think you’re fine.

The man nearly dove for the dumpster as well until the pigeon landed on his head, to which he froze like a statue. His breath caught in his throat as if an exhale would disturb the bird. Unlike before, he didn’t flinch at any of the clattering. No, he couldn’t. Not until the bird moved

aguidetothemultiverse

*She doesn't budge.*

"Phoebe!"

*He holsters his pistol, walking over to the other man and snatching the bird from his head.*

"Jesus, I'm sorry about her... Got a mind of her own, this one."

*He chuckles nervously, tucking her under his arm like a book before hopping in the dumpster, taking Phoebe with him.

Oh. He left quite a bit of blood in there.

Are there any bandages around here? I kinda need some, if you couldn't tell.

He really hoped he wasn't losing too much blood to affect his ability to really do much of anything within a matter of hours.*

limitless-liminals

He matches his nervous laugh with one of his own but he doesn’t relax. No, he stayed frigid as he stares with the bird with a level of admiration, terror, and confusion not fit for a pigeon. He glances back to Noel with a furrowed brow and an unspoken question.

“No, no…it’s good. You’re good.”

He physically has to shake his head to reset his mind before climbing into the dumpster. The chaos was picking up around them after all and he didn’t seem to mind the blood too much as he balled himself up.

And to answer your question, there are bandages around here but I’m not allowed to provide you with any.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks Phoebe to his chest, grabbing the lid and slamming it shut when he's confident the other man is fully in the dumpster. And if he was a threat, then... well, Noel had a gun. He also wasn't afraid to use his teeth.

He offers a strange look back at the man's own strange look at the pigeon.

What's his problem with Phoebe? Does he want to eat her? Should I be worried? Did you lie to me before?

The thoughts come in a panicked flurry. He may be able to control what gets through, but he can't control the emotion that comes with them. He's always hated that. The King would take advantage of it when he didn't have the ability to speak, when his face was too swollen for his lips to work, when his tongue was torn out and shoved down his throat.

He takes a breath. Stop thinking about the King. He couldn't let himself get distracted here.*

"Got a name? Or somethin' to call you by?"

*He keeps his voice just barely below a whisper.

You got a name, too?

Might as well know what to call his captor while he's getting names.*

limitless-liminals

The man looked between the bird and you with a furrowed brow, still trying to put some pieces together. Despite that, he was still missing plenty of other pieces that would complete this puzzle.

He had to shake his head again, remembering that he had to respond, “My name is Simon. What’s yours?”

And as for myself, there’s no need for a name. You can call me Narrator one if you wish, or just Narrator. The other voice you hear is called Kiki.

Your other questions are up to you to find out. I will tell you that I don’t tend to be a liar though. I suppose that may be hard to believe for someone like you though.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a scowl at that last comment. "Someone like him"? What was that supposed to mean?! Sure, he had some trouble believing things to be real, but there's reasoning behind it!!

Whatever. Whatever! It didn't matter. He takes a steady breath. He automatically goes to answer as "Charlie," but stops. Dammit, Arthur and John were really getting in his head. He needed to tell them to stop calling him that. It wasn't good for him, no matter how good it felt.*

"Noel."

*He goes to hold his hand out to shake, but pulls his hand back relatively fast. He didn't know if this place had the same greeting customs as back home.

After a moment of confused staring, he cautiously holds Phoebe towards him. She's unbothered by the movement.*

"You ever see a pigeon before?"

*There was a hint of amusement in his voice, but his grip on her was firm. If Simon decided Phoebe was a delicious snack that was only a couple feet away, then he'd get a shoe to the face and Phoebe would be back at his chest. She seemed to trust him, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon nearly goes to shake his hand before raising an eyebrow in confusion at him pulling it back. That was a bit rude but okay…his hands weren’t that gross.

“Nice to meet you,” he nodded, flinching as there was another loud bang.

He was too focused on that, that when presented with the feathered creature, he nearly had a heart attack. Simon froze and shuffled backwards until he was pressed against the side of the dumpster.

“Pi-geon…? Is…is that a pigeon? How do you know what to call it?”

So, clearly the answer was no.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls Phoebe back at Simon's terror of her with a confused smile.*

"Uh... Yeah. She's a pigeon. I know 'cause I live in New York City and they're everywhere...?"

*He chuckles.*

"Have you seriously never seen a pigeon before?"

*He holds her out again. What if this guy was from a timeline where pigeons didn't exist? Or were just a myth? Or... Dead? Why wouldn't pigeons exist??? That didn't make sense to him.*

"She ain't gonna hurt you, at least not on purpose. I should probably shave down her claws at some point, but it won't draw blood."

*The bird in question tilts her head to stare at Simon with a singular eye. She lets out a little rumbly coo.*

"...Actually, I don't think she's ever bit me. She's real docile for a bird that just showed up at my doorstep one day."

limitless-liminals

Simon was frigid, the only motion being one where he pushed his back further into the cool metal. If he hadn’t had thick fabric on, it would’ve been a nice contrast to his clammy skin. If he had a shirt underneath, he would’ve taken it off due to how much the combination of the heat in the garbage and his own nerves was causing him to sweat.

“New York City? That place is long gone.”

What the fuck was happening to him? The only remnants of New York City was what got documented and what information has been carried through oral tradition.

“And no, I’ve never seen a pigeon. It’s not normal to be greeted by a holy being due it just…arriving on your doorstep. You shouldn’t be treating her like a pet.”

Dear God, he was sorry for doubting you because what was THAT?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's dumbfounded. Absolutely dumbfounded.*

"You're jokin', right?"

*He had to be, because he was in the city just a few... Well, he didn't know how long he'd been gone, but he was there!! Recently!! And "holy being"? What??????*

"She's... She's like a rat with wings, doll. If she could eat somethin' she's gonna eat it. That's all pigeons. They're far from holy."

*He looks around for a moment.*

"Frankly, if this thing weren't empty, I'm sure she'd be stuffing her little beak with everything she can."

*Hey Narrator? Could you tell him that pigeons are... Normal? I guess? He's too freaked out and I'm not sure if I could calm him down with just words and shoving Phoebe in his face.*

limitless-liminals

I can not. My role is not to persuade but just to provide information. Telling him that would be cheating.

“No, I’m not joking. I’m saying this out of concern but I don’t think you know what you’re dealing with,” he’s seen enough angel imagery to envision it with his eyes closed.

“Just because it carries silly habits,” Simon glanced at Phoebe, “and forgive me for calling it silly, doesn’t mean she isn’t a higher power.”

Besides, he hardly understood that comparison anyways due to ignorance about rats.

aguidetothemultiverse

*What. Are you serious? Oh, you've got to be kidding him.

That is information. You're not persuading him of anything, you're just telling him that pigeons are normal...? At least this one. I think.

He really hopes that she's a normal pigeon. She hasn't really shown any signs of not being a normal pigeon. If she wasn't a normal pigeon, well... She seemed to like being treated like a normal pigeon.*

"I'm not gonna be able to convince you otherwise, will I?"

*He sets Phoebe in his lap and gently scratches around her eyes. She leans into the touch.*

"Well, whatever you believe, she seems to enjoy being treated like a regular old pigeon. Eats seeds, flies around, coos at me when she wants food, shits in my hat, coos at me some more just for the sake of it. You know, regular old pigeon stuff."

*He keeps scratching her for a moment more. Then stops. He holds her up again.*

"She likes being scratched between her eyes and little ear holes, you know. She'll tilt her head so you could scratch better, even."

limitless-liminals

Pigeons being normal is an opinion. I’m not meant to provide opinions like that. My job is not to argue, just to blend into the background in most cases. Saying that would just begin a conflict I’m not meant to participate in. I’m simply following the rules.

“I don’t know…” He narrowed his eyes, examining the bird closer. “I don’t really have ‘pigeons’ back on Eden…but if she wants to be treated like a normal pigeon, whatever that means, then I won’t deny her.”

He had doubted religion for a long time. It began early but maybe Simon had to reevaluate. It wasn’t as if being taken here has another explanation.

He stared at the pigeon, reaching his hand out, pulling it back, before finally scratching in the spot Noel described.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Eden? Like the garden? From the bible? Was this guy hyper-religious to the point of never seeing a pigeon? Christ...

Well, he could ask questions later. Phoebe was overjoyed at the prospect of a new person. She wrestled her way out of Noel's hands, hopping into Simon's lap and cooing happily. She waltzed around in a small circle before shoving her face back into Simon's hand, awaiting scritches.*

"Looks like she likes you!"

*He chuckles softly at her excitement. She was a goofy little thing. Hold on.

What's Eden? Just the information on it, not opinions.*

simon-thebutcher

Simon sucked in a sharp breath of air as Phoebe hopped onto his laps. His hands floated in the air around him, unsure of what to do before cautiously scratching the same spot as before.

He mumbled something inaudible to Noel but with a tone between confusion and dread. His eyes matched those emotions with eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m glad…” deep breath. “She’s…soft.”

And why don’t you ask him instead? Get to know each other.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a frown again.

Thanks a lot.*

"So, uh... Mind tellin' me what Eden is? Got somethin' to do with the bible?"

*He probably shouldn't throw a barrage of questions at him. But who could blame him for being just a teensy bit curious about the guy who lived somewhere without pigeons who thought they were angels. Pigeons as angels. Sky rats. Equated to angels. There's very clearly something going on here, and it was not normal.*

"You don't gotta, it'll just give me a better grasp of your... Perception of Phoebe."

*How could someone expect another person to treat a pigeon like an angel? That was insane!

Phoebe was having a great time with Simon, though. She nestled into him for a second, then walked around in an excited circle, then bobbed her head up and down, then did it all over again. He really hoped she wouldn't bite him to grab his attention at some point, it might just scare the poor guy away.*

limitless-liminals

He gradually settled down but he instead concentrated his worry on chewing the dead skin off of his lip. Simon watched the bird with the degree of interest a child would upon seeing their favorite cartoon. He couldnt help but snicker a bit at the movements, petting her head again. At the very least, he was quickly getting a tad more used to her.

He had an expression Noel could recognize from a mile away as he described it: longing.

“Ah, Eden is my home. It’s named after the place in the Bible, yes. It used to be a Mars space station, the first human colony beyond earth, before The Quiet Rapture happened and now there’s no Mars. I sometimes wish we had more, sure, but it was home.”

He didn’t understand how Noel didn’t know that already but something was clearly amiss here.

“…how’s New York City?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's utterly dumbfounded. Mars. The fucking planet. This guy made it off Earth. And he lived there. And "The Quiet Rapture"? What the fuck was that??*

"Mars..."

*He couldn't help but blurt it out. His mind was racing. He was speaking with a human from space. He's never done that before! He scrambles for his notebook and quickly jots down "Universe 35 - Eden's home", underlining it few times. Underneath he writes. "Met a guy who used to live on Mars! Now he just lives... out there? I guess?" He underlines "Mars" a few times for emphasis. Because... wow.*

"Uh... Right, New York. It's-"

*This guy's probably never been to Earth. That's why he doesn't know what a pigeon is.*

"Big. To put it simply."

*How does he explain New York City to someone who's never been to Earth??*

"Uh. It's loud. Real loud. Lotta people call it the "City that Never Sleeps", and they're not really lyin' about it. People are always doing something at any hour of the day. All year round."

*Christ, what else can he say? Well. Pigeons. He gestures to Phoebe.*

"Pigeons are everywhere. She's a great example of one. One of the bigger ones that I've seen around, but I've absolutely seen bigger. There's also always some sorta light on. It... can kinda be like a maze if you haven't been there before, but you get the hang of it over time."

*He felt like he was advertising it. There was really no good way to explain the City, especially to someone who'd never been to an Earth city before. But even if they have been to Earth, it was still hard to explain.*

"The buildings are real tall. Call 'em skyscrapers 'cus they touch the sky. And all of them are basically touching, wall to wall. You mix that with the amount of people and you've barely got any room to breathe."

*He chuckles. He kinda missed it, the ability to just... Blend in with the crowd, not get as many strange looks for the large scar that ran across his face, feel like a ghost in a graveyard. Where he was meant to be.

Sure, a break from the crowds was nice, but he preferred not feeling so exposed like this. In one way or another.*

"But, back to you. What's the 'Quiet Rapture'? Is it some War that I should be prepared for in the future?"

*He laughs. It's strained.

Please say no. He couldn't go through another one of those. He couldn't lose his friends again.*

limitless-liminals

Simon glanced back up at him and just sorta…stared. He was trying to put two and two together on why it was so shocking and…why in the world is he writing this down? I mean, they documented stuff on Eden but they didn’t feel the need to document stuff that should be basic knowledge.

His confusion only worsened upon your description as he nodded slowly, trying to picture it in his head. Simon was likely way off but it was better than nothing. It wasn’t as though he had much reference for living spaces that size nor that many people clumped together.

“That’s…woah…weird, but impressive.”

Without realizing, he had stopped petting Phoebe, to which he mumbled an apology for before continuing.

“During the Quiet Rapture, we don’t really know why but all stars and habitable planets just disappeared. There’s space ships and some moons left, sure, but nothing that’s as abundant as Earth’s materials,” he sighed. “I was born after it happened so I can’t give you much besides what I’ve been told.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Maybe I should try drawing it for him... What do you think of that? Or is that too opinionated for you?

He stifles a mischievous little chuckle at that.

As he's taking in the new information about Simon's universe, writing along as fast as he can, Phoebe decides to explore this new person. If he was going to stop petting her, it was her turn to figure this guy out! She clambers up his shirt until she makes it to his shoulder. She tilts her head a few times at his hair (it looked much softer than Noel's, he had to admit).

Then, she plucked a hair from his head, feeling it in her beak. Noel lets out a yelp when he spots her doing this.*

"Hey! Phoebe! You don't need his hair for nesting!! I'll getcha some other stuff!"

*He taps her on the beak lightly, but made sure to have enough force to reprimand her. Nothing that would hurt, if anything, she'd just be annoyed by it.*

"We just met the guy! Be nice!"

*She bites his finger. He frowns at her.*

limitless-liminals

Draw it if you’d like. I’m not stopping you. I think that’s a good way to present information.

Simon was like a statue whenever she explored. He stared with much more fear and uncertainty than what was appropriate for a pigeon. The only reaction she earned was a sharp inhale from her plucking.

Once Noel reacted so freely though, he raised his voice slightly, “Hey, be respectful!”

A crash echoed outside the dumpster right after he spoke.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He slowly holds his hands up in a show of mercy, staring in the direction of the noise. He didn't hurt her...? She was fine. She actually went back to plucking some strands of Simon's hair out, tossing them in Noel's direction.

Also. Did he do that? Or did something hear them? *

"She's not bein' very respectful."

*He grabs her from Simon's shoulder, setting her in his own lap.*

"You're just doin' that to do it, ya little rascal."

*She wrestles out of his grip before settling between the two men. She ignores the couple of strands of hair she pulled from Simon's head, only further proving Noel's point. She then starts to preen herself.*

"She doesn't care, anyway. I do that to her all the time. Hell, I throw her and she enjoys it. A little tap to the nose is probably more playful than reprimanding."

*He grimaces. He should probably find a better form of training her, then...*

limitless-liminals

“She can do whatever she would like,” he scoffed.

Simon allowed her to pluck as much hair as she liked and stared with fascination at the simple act of preening. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. He didn’t have any reference for why she would do that in the first place nor why she needed hair.

But who was he to protest?

Simon plucked out a chunk more of his hair and set it down in front of Phoebe.

“I don’t think she needs reprimanded.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of accepting the clump of hair, she whacks him with her wing as Noel puts his hands up in a panic.*

"Woah, woah, woah! Let's- Let's not tear your whole scalp off for her, alright?"

*He takes Simon's hands and places them in his lap.*

"If she's gonna take your hair, it's gonna be of her own doing. She doesn't really like it when people get hurt. Unless she's the one causing it, I guess."

*He drops his voice to a murmur for that last bit. Simon didn't need to know how much of a hypocrite this bird was. That was for Noel and Phoebe on their own.*

"I let her do most things mosta the time anyway. She could at least be polite to strangers."

*He ruffles the feathers on the top of her head, putting on a voice like one would use to talk to a puppy while speaking to her.*

"Hear that? Be polite, ya little rat!"

*She coos in response, biting his finger playfully. He chuckles softly with a tiny "ow, what the hell, Pheeb?" and a smile on his face.*

limitless-liminals

Simon flinches in surprise, not expecting that reaction. He blinked and stared between the two, assessing the level of danger. Noel seemed to be okay but the ‘pigeon’ was an element that couldn’t be considered as simply. No, he had to tread on thin ice.

“It’s not that much hair, it’s alright…but if she doesn’t want me to, I won’t. I was just trying to help.”

His confusion only increases with the exchange that those two shared, “And she’s just okay with this?”

Anyhow, how long are you two just going to sit here talking?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls his hands away from Phoebe's face, who immediately goes to waddle back into his lap. He gestures to her.*

"Seems it to me."

*He chuckles a little at her. His stupid pigeon. To think that he tried to get rid of her at first.

And then he sighs, closing his eyes. He briefly thinks to appreciate Arthur for his ability to hold a straight face most of the time.*

"Is the narrator also trying to get you out of the dumpster? Even though she, uh, you know, told me to come in here?"

*There's a twinge of anger in his voice, but he smiles with it. It's a very strained smile.*

"Oh, also, didn't you just hear some rubble outside? Or was that just me?"

*Passive aggression, what a tool. His favorite, even. Maybe he was a bit light on the "passive" part of it, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon smiled at the bird’s behavior, finally settling into the existence of her at the very least. She seemed to be happy from his first impression, so who was he to judge? That wasn’t his role in existence.

“Uh, they never told me to jump into here but they’re also not telling me to get out? They’ve been quite quiet for me. Are they not quiet for you…? I don’t even have a label like you do.”

Another crash hit outside, louder, angry.

“But yeah, I’ve been hearing everything crashing.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He can feel his eye twitch.*

"No, no, they've been talkin' back and forth with me for a bit. Asked us how long we were going to sit here and chat for."

*He glares at the roof of the dumpster.*

"Come on, now that I'm acknowledging you, you don't wanna say anything?"

*He sighs, turning his attention back to Simon.*

"If you think really loud in sentences, it can be a back and forth conversation. Well, back and forth if I can get a response at all."

*He was very tired of this. The not-his pain was starting to make him a bit woozy. It was probably blood loss.*

"Could you tell me what's makin' the ruckus outside yet or is the answer to that still no?"

*He crosses his arms, letting his back fall against the side of the dumpster as he awaits a response from the Narrator.*

limitless-liminals

“Really? I haven’t gotten anything like that.”

He paused for a moment, trying to think really hard like Noel instructed. It wasn’t an elaborate message, just a simple hello, an attempt to reach out. I responded back with a hello despite my discomfort.

To be frank with you, I don’t respond to you when I’m addressed because I don’t exactly like being addressed. That’s not my role. I’d enjoy it if you quit.

If you’re gonna keep asking, you’re gonna get similar replies though. If you wish to find out that information, go explore for yourself.

“What’s she saying to you? I just got a hello.”

aguidetothemultiverse

It’s getting quite hot out here, is it not? I’m going to have to switch to my summer clothes soon! If you would be so kind, dear, what is Noel doing on this sweltering afternoon?

@limitless-liminals

*He's been hanging around the infirmary, staying close by Arthur and John's side, monitoring his healing. His guilt was eating him up. Any time Phoebe lost a feather, he'd pick it up and fiddle with it until it practically fell apart, much to Phoebe's dismay. She was trying to nest out of those!! On Arthur's chest!!! And he was taking her nesting materials!!*

limitless-liminals

A knock rang through the infirmary from the door but when he turned, there would be no one there. What was there instead was an ethereal, white feather that glittered in the sterile lights as it floated down from the top of the doorway.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tenses immediately. He stares suspiciously at the feather. No. Nope. Not doing that.

He grabs Phoebe and sets her to his chest. She would not be the reason he gets into another eldritch mess, she would not be getting hurt by another eldritch being. Nope.

But, God, his curiosity was killing him. He wanted to know what was up with this. Why a feather? Why a feather when he just got attached to this bird?? What was trying to lure him? Where was it trying to lure him?*

limitless-liminals

Plop.

It was a wet splotch as it hit the tile and it sounded as though it dropped into a puddle that never was there. The shape was round, a perfect sphere roughly the size of a marble, white with another circle colored with— It was an eyeball.

*Yikes! People typically need those, don’t you think? Well, unless you’re like our buddy Arthur here who conveniently has a John to keep him company.*

The narrator spoke in a cheerful tone within his head, a sing-song lilt in each syllable with a poorly hidden giggle. Their voice was fairly androgynous, maybe a tad masculine if you squint, but it was fairly young if Noel had to guess.

*Aw, thank you for the compliment! I don’t consider myself that young but I’m glad I still have my sparkle. Oh! Shoot, Noel, you can’t hear the other voice, can you? I’m sorry for the confusion, I’ll quiet down!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He grimaces.*

"Goddammit... Not again..."

*His voice shakes. He was so tired. He was so fucking tired. He didn't want to hear any more voices. The King was bad enough in the Dreamlands, then there was Aamon, and now this?!

He glanced around nervously. Maybe other people could see this. Maybe other people could hear this. Maybe it wasn't just him being greeted by whatever this was.

That or he had finally lost it. Maybe he really went cooky this time. He knew he'd snap at some point, but frankly, he was expecting a bit more time until then.

...Was any of this real? Did he just... Die at the Order and this is... What, his brain making something up to ease him into death? This wasn't a fun way to be eased into death. He'd assume that his brain would pick something nicer. Maybe the real Noel, or Roland. Hey, maybe both. Of course, Arthur and John would be there, too.

Ugh, stay focused, Dowd! This thing can speak in his head, he shouldn't be getting distracted!!*

limitless-liminals

*Huh, not again? Does this specific stuff happen to you a lot? I know someone who has a repeating scenario happen every two days! Is it like that?*

Dear, as much as I love your enthusiasm, let’s stick to the plot.

*Oh! Right, the plot. So sorry. I need to stop getting side tracked.*

The eye began rolling toward Noel, each time sounding like it was in an ocean of viscous liquid that never was there. The floor remained as dry as it typically was.

aguidetothemultiverse

"N-No- No, no! We're not doing this!"

*He places Phoebe on Arthur's cot, pulling his pistol out and pointing it at the eye. He stands on the chair to get more distance.*

"Stay back!! I'm not- I'll shoot!!"

limitless-liminals

*Huh? Thats not me. Thats just an eye, silly!*

It stopped rolling and the feather began flying through the air as if on wind that didn’t exist in the infirmary. It made circles before looping back around and weaving through the air in various zig zags.

The eye only watched.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He cowers away from the feather, aiming his gun at the both of them.*

"Leave me alone!!"

*He was shaking. He needed to stop doing that. It was happening too much. He just needed to calm down. Maybe this was all fake. Maybe this was a dream. Hey, this would be wonderful if it were a dream. He'd just need to wake up.

...He could shoot his foot to wake himself up. Ehh, that should probably be a last resort thing.*

limitless-liminals

*What was next on the itinerary?*

The sound of rummaging through papers could be heard as I try to search for the list. Typically, I was more organized than this but with all the new information they’ve been giving out, it was nearly impossible.

*Take your time!*

Found it! Okay, Noel needs to…I probably shouldn’t say this where the viewers can see. Come closer to me so you can read it.

*hmmm….got it! Noel, honey, let’s put the gun down.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What?? No! He'd never do that!! He wasn't giving in! He's never given in before, he wasn't planning on starting now!!*

"Do you think I'm an idiot??"

*He shoots a glance at Phoebe. If this damn bird goes over to any of what's happening right now, he swears he'll be having roasted pigeon for dinner.*

"And don't call me honey. You're not gonna win me over with sweet words."

limitless-liminals

*A little, yeah, there’s not really avoiding this part. We kind of need it for the plot.*

The feather floated directly onto Arthur’s chest, not moving any more once it situated directly in the center. The eyeball just watched, pupil going wherever movement did.

*Actually, hold on, I think the rules got revised for what was allowed in there.*

More rummaging of paper.

*Oh! Nevermind, you can keep your gun. I’m sorry.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Phoebe eyes the feather curiously. It would work wonderfully in her little nest here... She took a step towards it and was almost immediately scooped up by Noel. He presses her against his chest and she lets out a shocked coo.*

"Leave me alone! I've got no information for ya! I've got nothin'!"

limitless-liminals

*…Why would I care for information? I got all the info I need!*

The sound of a pen scratching on paper could be heard followed the sound of footsteps. My lover hums gently as she reads over the words. Her voice-

*AHHHH! HOLY SHIT, ARTHUR! OH NO, OH NO, OH NO. THE FEATHER. YOU GOT TO DISPOSE OF IT. GET IT AWAY. BURN IT OUTSIDE. ITS THE ONLY WAY! GET UP! GET UP! FUCK, WAKE UP!*

…Okay, maybe it didn’t need to be that loud. Ouch.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He winces at the sudden increase in volume. When she quiets down, he leans forward and blows it off of Arthur's chest. Someone else could go and burn it. He was done leaving Arthur and John's side. He wasn't doing that again. They needed him, at least for now. At least while vulnerable like this.*

limitless-liminals

*Bud, you better go and light that feather on fire! I could stick you in a really horrible level if I—*

—I love the enthusiasm, honey, but let’s tone it down. Let’s turn to the collective vote of the viewers at home to see if we have the permission to skip over the process we had written down! He may end up in another level than what was planned but hey, who doesn’t love some improv?

Mumbling filled every corner of the room, seeping in from where we came from. I always hate how our worlds will bleed together but it’s inevitable.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He shudders, but doesn't budge. Whatever a "level" was, it didn't mean anything to him currently. If it was meant to be a meaningful threat, it really wasn't. He didn't even have a lighter!!*

"Come up with a better threat, doll."

*He tried to ignore the mumbling. It wasn't anything too out of the norm while encountering gods, so it was to be expected. It didn't make it any less unsettling, though. His ears always strained to understand what was being said, even if he didn't want to.

He held Phoebe a little closer to his chest. This thing couldn't do much to this world without his input, could it? And if it could, well, it hadn't yet. Just sounded like a challenge to him, so how much he could piss them off before some shit started happening.*

limitless-liminals

*The votes are in! Drum roll please!*

The sound of pit-patter covered up the mumbling as people slapped their legs repeatedly.

*WE’RE STICKING TO THE PLAN! For now at least…I quite like the idea we had going with this one.*

The feather blew back onto Arthur’s chest with some unnatural current of wind except this time, it didn’t settle there. It began trying to push through his lips and down his throat, easily going halfway there.

*And for your information, that was a great threat! You’re just dumb.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His eyes widen and he jumps to grab the feather, but stops a couple of inches away. Instead of just grabbing it, he wriggles his arm down his sleeve and grabs it, throwing it across the room. Of course, it's a feather, so things don't go exactly according to plan, but it's out of his grasp almost the second it was in it.*

"Tell me why it's good, then."

*He glares at the eyeball on the floor. A thought crosses his mind. He walks over to it and holds his foot above the organ. He goes quiet, listening.*

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see!*

Her voice was playful and more of a song than speaking as she held out the last syllable.

The feather complied with your action, remaining on the floor. We don’t have too much use for it anymore considering your lack of compliance.

The eyeball just watched. Unblinking.

*It doesn’t exactly have eye lids to blink with.*

Eh, you get the point.

*Squashing that thing won’t do much good for you though!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He frowns.*

"What'll happen? Why shouldn't I?"

*He shifts his grip on Phoebe. She felt real... Right?"

limitless-liminals

*You know what, now I don’t want to tell you anymore.*

Phoebe felt as real as she did before. The other objects were a different story. Your eyes began to develop a slight hazey filter over anything else you saw. Your only anchor was the pigeon.

aguidetothemultiverse

tw self harm

*His face goes blank. Oh. Okay. Uh. Cool.

He takes a couple of shaky steps away from the eye. Then points his pistol at his foot.

Without an ounce of hesitation, he pulls the trigger.*

limitless-liminals

*Yowch!*

It didn’t feel real.

The pain didn’t come as it typically would.

No, you felt it distantly with the same hazey filter.

Did it ever truly happen?

Maybe, you need to shoot again?

*I’ll take over the description then. Her voice had a hidden smile in its tone, barely contained by any attempts to relax back to the continuous monotone.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He felt dizzy. No... No. He's done this so many times. Did... He couldn't... No, no, no, no!

He drops the bird, or whatever it was, and falls to his knees. He curls his arms around his head.

And he screams.

Because he can't be back. There was no way. There was no way that these past two years have all been fake. It wasn't possible. He's shot his foot enough times to know that, but now? How now? When did the King get access to him again? And now he knew where that other half was?

So he screams. This was it. He was going to die. This was how he died. He couldn't do it again. It'd either be by his own hands or the King's, but either way, he was dying.

His screams quickly bled into sobs. He couldn't do this. He couldn't do this again.*

limitless-liminals

Ouch, my eardrums!

*You don’t even have those!*

Okay, but it’s a phrase! How am I meant to narrate in these conditions!

*Uh, uh, uh! I don’t know! Make him shut up!*

I hold my hands over my ear holes and I feel the road of my eye shake as I try to regulate myself. I never took fondly to loud noise and— CAN YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY OR I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL DROP YOU IN THE WORST CIRCUMSTANCES YOU CAN THINK OF! I WAS THINKING OF LETTING YOU WARM UP TO THE WHOLE PLACE BUT NOOOO, YOU HAVE TO SCREECH LIKE A BABY!

*…Three deep breathes*

…The sound of breathing can be heard.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tries to follow along with the sound of breathing, even if it wasn't for him, but he can't catch his breath. Tears flow freely from his eyes.

He can't do this again. He can't! He barely made it out alive last time! And Phoebe!! What would she do without him!!

He felt like a child. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go home with his Ma and Pa and curl up in their arms and never deal with this again.*

limitless-liminals

I don’t care. We’re skipping the pretenses to this. I’m done. I’ve had enough. We’re—

BOOOOOOOOOO

SHUT UP, SHUT THE FUCK UP! I DONT CARE WHAT THE VIEWERS WANT. YOURE LUCKY TO HAVE A GODDAMN SHOW. I DONT HAVE TO LIVE STREAM THIS.

*Uh, babe…turn around…*

What? What are you talking about? I— AGHHMMMMTGGGPPGHGGGGGGGG

*…Click…her mic has been muted…I- uh….gods, okay…I guess it’s just you and me now, big guy!*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He only curls up more at the voice, shaking violently. He couldn't catch his breath. He couldn't stop sobbing. He couldn't he couldn't he couldn't he couldn't-

Phoebe? Was she still here? Where was his bird? He needed her right now. Where was she? Was she as scared as he was? He couldn't see. He couldn't think. Where was his bird?*

limitless-liminals

*Your bird is where you’d find her typically. Nothing happened to her. Nothing would happen to her.*

Her voice is shaky and uncertain. She moves away from the mic every so often, checking her surroundings, before going back to narrating.

*Lets…okay, please, for both of our sakes, follow my instructions, okay? Please. It will come for me too.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*One hand goes to clamp over his mouth, the other reaching for Phoebe, who immediately presses into him. He has to stifle a wail.

He curls around her, letting his tears drip onto her feathers. He gasps. Air. He needed air. Maybe they could help him get air.

He nods. Okay. Okay, they could maybe help him, even if they got him into this mess.*

limitless-liminals

*okay, okay, thank you, I appreciate it. Just…you see that tile that to the right of the door? I need you to stand on that. You can take the bird with you, I don’t care, you just gotta do that.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He nods again. He just... needed to catch his breath first. Everything was spinny. Deep breath. In and out. It was fine. He shifted the hand from his mouth to Phoebe, feeling her feathers.

Walk over to the tile. That's all he needed to do. The first step was get his feet underneath him. Okay, he could do that. He planted his feet on the floor and-

Oh. That was... disorientating. His pain immediately got more intense, but... was it even his own pain? When he stood up, his leg almost gave out. It was probably his pain. Oh, he hated this. He hated this so much. This was just like the Dreamlands. Oh, he was going to vomit.

No, he had a task. Stay focused, Dowd!!

He hobbled (because that's what it was, his foot was almost dragging behind him) over to the tile, Phoebe held tightly in his arms. He stands on it.

God, he felt like a kid, holding Phoebe like she was a stuffed animal, tears pouring from his eyes. He couldn't even stop it if he tried.*

limitless-liminals

She cleared her throat. *Lock in*

*As soon as your foot hit the tile, the solid ground gave no support as that portion of you just continued slipping down

and down

and down

Down

Down and—

Someone’s leg shouldn’t be able to go this far without the other one following. Actually, the floor shouldn’t seem like nothing more than an illusion in the first place but here we are.*

*The sense of falling was immense and took over every alarm bell but other than the one limb sending those signals, everything else was normal. Your eyes told you that you were planted on the ground. Your other leg was planted on the ground. You weren’t actually falling yet.*

*Itd make the most sense to say the falling leg was extending in order to keep you upright, like some cartoon logic, but none of your nerves sent those signals. The limb was distinctly yours, untouched and unaltered.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*That didn't stop him from getting dizzy by it. He went to take a step away, but stumbled, falling straight on his ass. He clutched Phoebe a little tighter, who lets out a surprised coo.*

"What the fuck?!"

*He felt so sick. Ever since this all started, he felt unbelievably sick. He screwed his eyes shut and tilted his head to the side. Phoebe let out an alarmed coo in response. She rumbles and flaps her wings, trying to get his attention.*

"Phee- Pheeb, just- It's okay- Fuck-"

*He takes a shaky breath, trying to push the nausea that was quickly creeping up on him away.*

limitless-liminals

*…Okay, maybe hop in this time…That way you aren’t just sorta…standing there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His breathing starts to pick up again.*

"How do I-"

*Breathe, Charlie. He'll be okay. He's been through worse. It'll be okay.*

"How do I know that this won't kill me?"

*He needed to stop crying. He needed to breathe. He needed to relax. Panic never got him anywhere. Except keep him alive a few times. He just needed to school it in.*

limitless-liminals

*Trust me, bro? I don’t know. This itself won’t kill you but other stuff can. Let’s just….get back to the tile, okay?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*It takes a moment, but he nods.*

"...Okay..."

*He wanted a name for this thing. But that would have to wait. He shimmied closer to the tile. There was no way he was jumping with how strange his foot was feeling, so trying to position himself over it entirely would have to do.*

limitless-liminals

*Fortunately, that was enough to cause your whole body to phase through the tile. What arrived on the other side of the veil was a foggy, night sky with way too many stars and a plummeting descent to the concrete street below. Your body was roughly 20 yards off the ground.*

*Swallowing up every inch of the landscape were skyscrapers much like the ones you saw in New York, just a tad more futuristic than his era. Between each boxy building were alleyways, if you could call them that. They spanned a mere foot but typically sized dumpsters still remained, part of them stuck in the wall like a poorly placed video game object.*

*The streets, perfectly straight and lacking any potholes or signs of use overall, were vacant of any life. No children laughed at the park down the road, no one was performing street art, nor were there anyone walking in a crowded herd of bumping shoulders. Nothing that would make this city truly feel like a city. The only sign of home you got was the wafting scent of cigarettes.*

*The stoplights and crosswalks worked all the same though, going from red, to yellow, to green. A button near the crosswalk said “wait” in its robotic voice as though it had been pressed, followed but the walking symbol and the command to “walk”.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He curls around Phoebe as he falls, holding her as close as possible. He had to fight to not scream. He needed to be quiet. He didn't know where he was. He wanted to go home.

He doesn't move when he meets the ground, only curling up further and sobbing quietly. He didn't know what was happening. He was scared. He was oh, so scared.*

limitless-liminals

*Do you need a moment…? Medical assistance may- err- nevermind, I can’t give that.*

She looked over her shoulder for me

*Take a deep breath. You’ll be okay. Dont pigeons like the city or whatever?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't move. He doesn't lift his head up. He doesn't stand up. He stays curled up around Phoebe. She was letting out little annoyed coos, but wasn't trying to escape his grasp.*

"What do you- What do you want from me?"

*His voice was barely audible. There was a rasp to it, probably from the screaming and crying. It didn't feel raw, though.*

limitless-liminals

*……Let’s just keep on move, alright, hun? Give me something to narrate.*

aguidetothemultiverse

"No!"

*He whips his head up, glaring at the sky.*

"Tell me what you want from me!! I'll tell you if I could do it!!"

*He clenched his teeth. He could feel the golden tooth push into his gum. He would not go through that again.*

"And if I can't, what will you do?"

*His pained expression slowly morphed into something else. A strange smile spread across his face, the tears still flowing. And he laughed.*

"Torture me? Kill me?! Just tell me already! Rip the bandage off!!"

limitless-liminals

*I want you to keep moving. You can do that, can’t you? Limp around if you have to but keep moving.*

She looked over her shoulder again.

*…please.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He laughs a little harder.*

"I already said no! Tell me the truth! Tell me why you brought me here!"

*Phoebe squirms in his grasp.*

"Tell me what you want from me!!"

limitless-liminals

*How about no! And you should- OH, OH, NEVERMIND, YOU ACTUALLY REALLY NEED TO GET GOING. FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't comply. He tucks his legs to his chest, guarding Phoebe from the outside world, and stares at the sky. Waiting for an answer to his question.

And he wouldn't budge until he got it. He needed an explanation. He wasn't going to run if he didn't know what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing came.

*Damn, normally that works. Did evolution skip over the whole fight or flight thing with you? …Were you alive when they came up with evolution? Does the word make sense to you?….anyways!*

footsteps echoed through the confines of the city but not from anywhere on the ground. It came from the sky. Nothing in the air explained the noise but it circled all around her.

*…okayyoumightreallyneedtogetamoveon. IlltellyouwhatIwantlater.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He still doesn't budge. He. Wanted. His. Answer. He didn't believe those footsteps were real. He didn't. And if he got hurt, then he could take it. He's had worse. He'd been torn apart, head to toe, and got back up fine.

His heart was racing, though. His mind was whispering worries. He wouldn't let it win, though. He wouldn't run until he knew what he was running from.*

limitless-liminals

*The footsteps only got louder and louder, vibrating the concrete with each bellowing step. Despite the being never putting a foot down on the ground, the noise of cracking concrete split through the eerie silence and chunks of it clattered around you in various sizes, from pebbles to bricks*

*Please, just…Move bit to the alley?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps violently at the debris, scrambling into the alley without a second thought. He pressed himself into the wall, tucking Phoebe away in his shirt. She protests a little, but only to stick her head out to see what was happening.

He shook and trembled, then glared at the sky. Could this thing hear his thoughts?

Hey, Jackass!

Come on, this has to work.

Tell me what you want from me!! I did what you asked, now tell me why you brought me here!*

limitless-liminals

*I can hear you, no need to yell or name call.* she giggled but it sounded stiff like an actor who’d never been properly told how to emote.

*….*

*Let’s check out the inside of the dumpster as I explain, yeah?*

The footsteps never stop. I thunder overhead like a vicious storm but I never once appear within your gaze. It’s hopeless to try.

*It wasn’t entirely up to me. I don’t know what they want but I’m just here to do what I gotta do. I liked your pigeon, so I maybe swayed the choice a bit.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*What does Phoebe have to do with any of this? Couldn't you just have found another pigeon or something?

He cautiously shuffles over to the dumpster, eyeing it suspiciously.

What's in there? What do you want me to do with this??

He wasn't exactly in the mood for dumpster diving while his foot felt like this. Whatever this meant. All he really knew was that it wasn't pleasant and walking was a bit hard, so he clearly got injured. He didn't want it getting infected.*

limitless-liminals

*Have you seen her? She’s just so cute!*

*The open dumpster in front of you was eerily clean and shone with a brightness that didn’t match the dimness of the alleyway. The same hazy filter covered your vision from when you were falling, except this time it wasn’t as bad. The longer you lingered the worse the haze got as the scent of vinegar flooded your nostrils.*

*The green color of the water bottle blended in with the background of the dumpster as it sat perfectly upright. The only thing that stood out against the rest of the metal was the matte, black, plastic lid.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*...That... Still didn't seem very appealing. He didn't exactly feel like hurling his guts the second he saw his body stretch for the second time within a few minutes.

Where will that take me?

He wasn't exactly pleased about running for his life again. And fighting with this... being to get some basic answers while doing so? With some strange, Dreamlands-like logic?

...Why didn't he think of this before.

Kayne. Send me back to the Waylay. Arthur and John are going to panic. At least let me say goodbye.

Please. He didn't want to lose them yet. He wanted to go back to the Waylay.

The realization shocks him a little. Why go back there? With the many unknown dangers? Why not want to go home home?

...Because he didn't have a home anymore. Of course. He cringed at himself.

Wait, can you hear everything I'm thinking? Even the things I'm not thinking... Louder? I guess?

Say no. Please say no.*

limitless-liminals

*…You want me to say no, but I think we both know the answer is yes.* she awkwardly cleared her throat.

*Theres not really an “Off the air” button for you folks like there is for my partner and I. If you can think it, I can work my way into your mind…people usually don’t think about that and I get some…creative folks.*

*Anyways! Who is Kayne? And I don’t think that guy can bring you anywhere? That dumpster you may have to find out about though.*

*CRASH!*

*A block of concrete landed a foot away from your head, cracking the floor.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He jumps away from the debris, stifling a yelp. Phoebe lets out a soft coo in response. He plants his hand over his beak.

Well, lucky for you, I've had practice.

That was all he needed. His mind went quiet. Eerily quiet. He's clearly done this before. They couldn't even read his expression.

He shuffled over to the dumpster. He put his hands on his hips. He stared at it blankly. His thoughts come back.

Do you not know where this goes?

His thoughts go silent again.*

limitless-liminals

*HEY, WHAT, THATS NOT FAIR! COME BACK!*

*The steps paused over head and alongside your thoughts going silent, so did the city. You could hear a pin drop and each breath carried farther on the wind than you might’ve been comfortable with.*

*And I know where that dumpster goes, thank you very much. The waterbottle is still in there.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He smiles, raising an eyebrow.

Care to fill me in, doll?

Silence.

If not, I do quite enjoy the quiet...

He steps away from the dumpster, leaning on the opposite wall and staring up at the sky. Smiling. Cocky.*

limitless-liminals

*I actually…uhm…hold on…*

Shuffling papers filled the silence.

*…one second.*

More shuffling, frantic.

*So…this is awkward but I lost the paper…and I don’t know this area that well so…we can find out together?*

aguidetothemultiverse

*His smile falls. He raises an eyebrow.

Silence.*

limitless-liminals

*…You just gonna stand there? I lost the paper. There’s not much I can do…*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He doesn't budge. Guess the answer was yes.*

limitless-liminals

*Damn, okay. I could really use my partner right now. They’d know where to find it…*

More scavenging and then a satisfied hum.

*Oh! Okay, found it. Let me read anddddddd….huh, that’s a surprise. So, it’s actually just a normal dumpster. Well, as normal as you can get around here.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of moving, he checks his wrist like he's checking a watch. He doesn't have a watch.*

limitless-liminals

*Did you hear me? It’s a normal dumpster! What more are you wantttinnnggggg.* she whined like a toddler having a tantrum.

*rude.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*He taps his foot a few times, then pulls Phoebe out of his shirt, holding her under his arm like a pile of books.

Okay, well. If you're gonna be like that, what was the thing stomping around before?*

limitless-liminals

*Be like WHAT? I’m not being like anything. I’m just trying to have a dandy ol’ day and you’re— you know what, never mind. Fine, okay, the thing was—*

—No.

*…Something I can’t say.*

aguidetothemultiverse

*Aaand silence.*

limitless-liminals

*Well, fuck you too. Have fun navigating this place alone.*

My stomping begun once again and with it, a storm of concrete hit the floor as buildings began to crumble and collapse.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stays quiet for a little longer. That is, until

Do you control that?

They're let back in. Fear is radiating off of him. He was able to mask all of that. The terror, the fear, the dread. He knew how to hide that.

The King trained him well.

He walks over to the dumpster. His fear spikes before easing a bit. Just water. A normal dumpster for this place. It would be fine.*

limitless-liminals

They won’t reply to you. No, you fucked up. You pushed too hard and now you’re at this world’s mercy.

They were your guide. Your light in the tunnel. A potential road to escape if you played your cards right but you dealt the wrong hand.

The voice came like a whisper on the wind, guiding each syllable against his eardrum. A piece of concrete smashed the floor right next to his foot as a nearby building was dangerously leaning.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Oh, fuck him. He immediately hops in the dumpster, infection be damned. He slams the lid over his head, screws his eyes shut, and clings to Phoebe like his life depends on it. Because honestly? It kind of does. He's alone again. He only has this damn bird. And she didn't know what the hell was happening either. She was a bird.*

limitless-liminals

The chaos around him ensued like a horrible thunderstorm. At one point, the concrete slamming against the floor was loud enough to shake the confines of the dumpster. Simultaneously, a giant chunk slammed against the plastic cover, nearly crushing it, while another dented the side with a bang.

Amongst the chaos was a rushing footsteps that slammed against the floor in a flurry. They turned in direction several times, as if searching. Either that, or it was general panic. It was close to his dumpster.

A friend?

“What the fuck!”

The yell was like a whisper amongst the noise.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks one arm over his head and curls around his core, keeping Phoebe there. He wanted to ignore how much he was shaking.

And a voice. A human voice. He could almost cry with relief. Maybe he was. He couldn't tell. He was so tired of this.

What if it was a trick. Could he take that risk? Could he take the risk of a trick for the chance of seeing another person here? To see another person terrified and in need of help, just like him.

No. No, he couldn't. He was told to go in here. So he would. And he would stay here, even if they didn't come back. It was hidden, it was safer than being out in the open like that.*

limitless-liminals

There was a crash and then the footsteps sprinted right beside the dumpster. It was difficult to hear over everything else but their breathing was ragged and frantic, more akin to wheezing than anything else.

“Holy shitholyshitholyshit,” the voice muttered, yelping as concrete hit the top of the dumpster right again.

But it didn’t break.

Logical reasoning would deduce that he probably had a second before the dumpster was opened.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Well... It'd be fine. He has a gun. If this is a trick, if this person did mean harm, he has his gun! He could just... Shoot. That's what people do with guns.

He took a deep breath to calm his shaking hands. He clicked the safety off his pistol. And he aimed.

And waited.

His shaking didn't stop. He cursed himself internally for the stupid adrenaline that's almost always running through his veins nowadays.*

limitless-liminals

The was a tiny pause of hesitation where the plastic was peaked open become being pulled open fully. What awaited on the other side was a scrappy looking man adorning a light taupe hood and dark green sweater that have both been patched and stitched together ten times at least. In his right hand, he held a knife but he wasn’t pointing it at Noel or anything in particular.

The man slammed the dumpster shut upon staring down the barrel of a gun, leaping at least four feet back. In that split second, Noel could see the wide eyes and sweating skin.

Silence. How the fuck is he meant to reply to that? Does he run?

aguidetothemultiverse

*Noel wouldn't be surprised if he looked like a scared kid, hiding away in a dumpster like this.

...

Okay. Uh... Okay. He... he looked pretty real, but... There was no way to tell.

...There was really no harm in asking, was there? Deep breath, Charlie.

He lifted the lid and peeked out at the man, staring at him with a furrowed brow. He clicks the safety back on, but keeps his pistol in hand.*

"...Are you real?"

*He sticks his head fully out of the dumpster, glancing around the alley. Why did they want him to jump in here?? What the fuck?*

"Can..."

*Oh, he was going to sound insane...*

"Can you hear the... uh... The voice?"

*Was there anything more insane than a man in his 40s hiding in a dumpster aiming a pistol at some random guy with a pigeon on his chest?*

limitless-liminals

They stared, utterly baffled. Speaking of the voices, I finally returned from my not so kind break. I’m sorry if it takes me a second to get caught back up to speed.

Anyhow, the man’s eyes are flickering and head spinning around every so often, scanning for information. He flinches with every noise and presses his back against the wall. He looked just as panicked as you did and with his malnourished frame, there was a tad bit of resemblance between you and him during your…not so fortunate days.

“I think? Yes, I think I’m real,” he said, out of breath. He patted himself just to be sure.

“Can we— let’s put the gun away,”

who was he to make demands right now? That didn’t matter so long as the faux power remained in his shaking tone. To help them both, he put the knife into his harness.

“And uh…yeah. I hear— I hear it.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He swallows thickly when the voice returns.

...Since you're back in my mind, can you tell me if he's real? I think that's a fair trade.

Please. This has to work. She can hear everything he thinks again! Even the non-deliberate things!! Even this! He didn't even realize he was thinking it!! Come on!!

He takes a breath. Focus. There's a guy here, real or not. He looked insane. He slowly crawled out of the dumpster, making sure to keep his pistol in hand, but aimed down. When his foot lands on the ground, he has to fight the urge to wince. It didn't hurt too much, but it was so unbelievably jarring, he felt like his mind was tearing itself apart at the sensation alone.*

"How long have you been here?"

*He shoots another nervous glance around the alley. He would prefer to not get caught by something while his foot was still... like this.*

limitless-liminals

Do you not believe him? I’d describe him as quite real but it’s up to interpretation I suppose. There’s only so much that a narrator can do.

Anywho…where was I…right…

The man’s eyes widened as he tried to back up more, only for his back to hit the wall. His eyes continued examining, always looking for details, but he continued to stare back to the gun…and now your foot. He was certainly the perceptive one, if I had to say so myself.

“I don’t know…I don’t really— time isn’t something I have a good grasp on. Right before everything started falling around us, I guess?”

With each crash, he flinched and anticipated impact only for it never to come.

“Where even IS here?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Of course I don't believe him! Why would I? I don't know how your powers work yet! I don't know what you're capable of!!

He was starting to get a bit uncomfortable under the other man's gaze. He couldn't exactly help the foot thing, so there was no point in staring. The gun was a bit more understandable, but come on, he has no reason to trust this guy yet!*

"I ain't too sure myself."

*Phoebe flutters out from the dumpster, landing on his head. It throws off his balance for a swift moment, but he regains it rather quickly.*

"The first time things started falling or the second time."

*There were probably times before that, too, but he was going based off of his perception, so...

What was it that caused the falling anyway? Was it you? Were you mad at me? Was that it?

That was probably it. Punishment. Despite the deliberate tone that came with the louder thoughts, there were twinges of guilt and terror laced in it. That all this was his fault. That somehow, someway, everything that's happened to him up until this point was all due to some actions he's taken at some point.*

limitless-liminals

Right…I can’t even blame you for your paranoia since it’ll get you far here. I’ll tell you that I’m primarily behind the scenes. Most of what happens around here is entirely unrelated to my own actions. Believe whatever you want but that’s the truth.

The man’s eyes widened upon seeing the creature land on your head. He seemed torn between reaching out and running away. His mouth fell agape, only for him to to remember to close it a second later.

He shook his head, shaking away his silly ideas, “I’m assuming the second since I don’t know the first. We need to take cover before we keep talking though because—“

CRASH!

Perfect timing. It nearly took out his foot though. Twinning would’ve been horrible in this instance.

“…that. That’s why we should take cover.”

His eyes repeatedly went back to the foreign critter. Words hung on his tongue, unspoken. His eyes narrowed in thought.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He stumbles back towards the dumpster at the crash of debris. Phoebe flaps her wings wildly at the movement. She spots the other man and deems him as a much more stable host than Noel and flies over to him, landing on his head.

Noel stares at her just as he's about to swing his leg back into the dumpster.*

"Phoebe, get back here."

*At least she thought he was real. Didn't exactly make him feel any better. He kept his voice stern, like he was commanding a misbehaving child.

Will he hurt her? If he tries to hurt her, can you stop him?*

lepi-rp-sideblog

Believe me, I think you’re fine.

The man nearly dove for the dumpster as well until the pigeon landed on his head, to which he froze like a statue. His breath caught in his throat as if an exhale would disturb the bird. Unlike before, he didn’t flinch at any of the clattering. No, he couldn’t. Not until the bird moved

aguidetothemultiverse

*She doesn't budge.*

"Phoebe!"

*He holsters his pistol, walking over to the other man and snatching the bird from his head.*

"Jesus, I'm sorry about her... Got a mind of her own, this one."

*He chuckles nervously, tucking her under his arm like a book before hopping in the dumpster, taking Phoebe with him.

Oh. He left quite a bit of blood in there.

Are there any bandages around here? I kinda need some, if you couldn't tell.

He really hoped he wasn't losing too much blood to affect his ability to really do much of anything within a matter of hours.*

limitless-liminals

He matches his nervous laugh with one of his own but he doesn’t relax. No, he stayed frigid as he stares with the bird with a level of admiration, terror, and confusion not fit for a pigeon. He glances back to Noel with a furrowed brow and an unspoken question.

“No, no…it’s good. You’re good.”

He physically has to shake his head to reset his mind before climbing into the dumpster. The chaos was picking up around them after all and he didn’t seem to mind the blood too much as he balled himself up.

And to answer your question, there are bandages around here but I’m not allowed to provide you with any.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He tucks Phoebe to his chest, grabbing the lid and slamming it shut when he's confident the other man is fully in the dumpster. And if he was a threat, then... well, Noel had a gun. He also wasn't afraid to use his teeth.

He offers a strange look back at the man's own strange look at the pigeon.

What's his problem with Phoebe? Does he want to eat her? Should I be worried? Did you lie to me before?

The thoughts come in a panicked flurry. He may be able to control what gets through, but he can't control the emotion that comes with them. He's always hated that. The King would take advantage of it when he didn't have the ability to speak, when his face was too swollen for his lips to work, when his tongue was torn out and shoved down his throat.

He takes a breath. Stop thinking about the King. He couldn't let himself get distracted here.*

"Got a name? Or somethin' to call you by?"

*He keeps his voice just barely below a whisper.

You got a name, too?

Might as well know what to call his captor while he's getting names.*

limitless-liminals

The man looked between the bird and you with a furrowed brow, still trying to put some pieces together. Despite that, he was still missing plenty of other pieces that would complete this puzzle.

He had to shake his head again, remembering that he had to respond, “My name is Simon. What’s yours?”

And as for myself, there’s no need for a name. You can call me Narrator one if you wish, or just Narrator. The other voice you hear is called Kiki.

Your other questions are up to you to find out. I will tell you that I don’t tend to be a liar though. I suppose that may be hard to believe for someone like you though.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a scowl at that last comment. "Someone like him"? What was that supposed to mean?! Sure, he had some trouble believing things to be real, but there's reasoning behind it!!

Whatever. Whatever! It didn't matter. He takes a steady breath. He automatically goes to answer as "Charlie," but stops. Dammit, Arthur and John were really getting in his head. He needed to tell them to stop calling him that. It wasn't good for him, no matter how good it felt.*

"Noel."

*He goes to hold his hand out to shake, but pulls his hand back relatively fast. He didn't know if this place had the same greeting customs as back home.

After a moment of confused staring, he cautiously holds Phoebe towards him. She's unbothered by the movement.*

"You ever see a pigeon before?"

*There was a hint of amusement in his voice, but his grip on her was firm. If Simon decided Phoebe was a delicious snack that was only a couple feet away, then he'd get a shoe to the face and Phoebe would be back at his chest. She seemed to trust him, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon nearly goes to shake his hand before raising an eyebrow in confusion at him pulling it back. That was a bit rude but okay…his hands weren’t that gross.

“Nice to meet you,” he nodded, flinching as there was another loud bang.

He was too focused on that, that when presented with the feathered creature, he nearly had a heart attack. Simon froze and shuffled backwards until he was pressed against the side of the dumpster.

“Pi-geon…? Is…is that a pigeon? How do you know what to call it?”

So, clearly the answer was no.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls Phoebe back at Simon's terror of her with a confused smile.*

"Uh... Yeah. She's a pigeon. I know 'cause I live in New York City and they're everywhere...?"

*He chuckles.*

"Have you seriously never seen a pigeon before?"

*He holds her out again. What if this guy was from a timeline where pigeons didn't exist? Or were just a myth? Or... Dead? Why wouldn't pigeons exist??? That didn't make sense to him.*

"She ain't gonna hurt you, at least not on purpose. I should probably shave down her claws at some point, but it won't draw blood."

*The bird in question tilts her head to stare at Simon with a singular eye. She lets out a little rumbly coo.*

"...Actually, I don't think she's ever bit me. She's real docile for a bird that just showed up at my doorstep one day."

limitless-liminals

Simon was frigid, the only motion being one where he pushed his back further into the cool metal. If he hadn’t had thick fabric on, it would’ve been a nice contrast to his clammy skin. If he had a shirt underneath, he would’ve taken it off due to how much the combination of the heat in the garbage and his own nerves was causing him to sweat.

“New York City? That place is long gone.”

What the fuck was happening to him? The only remnants of New York City was what got documented and what information has been carried through oral tradition.

“And no, I’ve never seen a pigeon. It’s not normal to be greeted by a holy being due it just…arriving on your doorstep. You shouldn’t be treating her like a pet.”

Dear God, he was sorry for doubting you because what was THAT?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's dumbfounded. Absolutely dumbfounded.*

"You're jokin', right?"

*He had to be, because he was in the city just a few... Well, he didn't know how long he'd been gone, but he was there!! Recently!! And "holy being"? What??????*

"She's... She's like a rat with wings, doll. If she could eat somethin' she's gonna eat it. That's all pigeons. They're far from holy."

*He looks around for a moment.*

"Frankly, if this thing weren't empty, I'm sure she'd be stuffing her little beak with everything she can."

*Hey Narrator? Could you tell him that pigeons are... Normal? I guess? He's too freaked out and I'm not sure if I could calm him down with just words and shoving Phoebe in his face.*

limitless-liminals

I can not. My role is not to persuade but just to provide information. Telling him that would be cheating.

“No, I’m not joking. I’m saying this out of concern but I don’t think you know what you’re dealing with,” he’s seen enough angel imagery to envision it with his eyes closed.

“Just because it carries silly habits,” Simon glanced at Phoebe, “and forgive me for calling it silly, doesn’t mean she isn’t a higher power.”

Besides, he hardly understood that comparison anyways due to ignorance about rats.

aguidetothemultiverse

*What. Are you serious? Oh, you've got to be kidding him.

That is information. You're not persuading him of anything, you're just telling him that pigeons are normal...? At least this one. I think.

He really hopes that she's a normal pigeon. She hasn't really shown any signs of not being a normal pigeon. If she wasn't a normal pigeon, well... She seemed to like being treated like a normal pigeon.*

"I'm not gonna be able to convince you otherwise, will I?"

*He sets Phoebe in his lap and gently scratches around her eyes. She leans into the touch.*

"Well, whatever you believe, she seems to enjoy being treated like a regular old pigeon. Eats seeds, flies around, coos at me when she wants food, shits in my hat, coos at me some more just for the sake of it. You know, regular old pigeon stuff."

*He keeps scratching her for a moment more. Then stops. He holds her up again.*

"She likes being scratched between her eyes and little ear holes, you know. She'll tilt her head so you could scratch better, even."

limitless-liminals

Pigeons being normal is an opinion. I’m not meant to provide opinions like that. My job is not to argue, just to blend into the background in most cases. Saying that would just begin a conflict I’m not meant to participate in. I’m simply following the rules.

“I don’t know…” He narrowed his eyes, examining the bird closer. “I don’t really have ‘pigeons’ back on Eden…but if she wants to be treated like a normal pigeon, whatever that means, then I won’t deny her.”

He had doubted religion for a long time. It began early but maybe Simon had to reevaluate. It wasn’t as if being taken here has another explanation.

He stared at the pigeon, reaching his hand out, pulling it back, before finally scratching in the spot Noel described.

aguidetothemultiverse

*Eden? Like the garden? From the bible? Was this guy hyper-religious to the point of never seeing a pigeon? Christ...

Well, he could ask questions later. Phoebe was overjoyed at the prospect of a new person. She wrestled her way out of Noel's hands, hopping into Simon's lap and cooing happily. She waltzed around in a small circle before shoving her face back into Simon's hand, awaiting scritches.*

"Looks like she likes you!"

*He chuckles softly at her excitement. She was a goofy little thing. Hold on.

What's Eden? Just the information on it, not opinions.*

simon-thebutcher

Simon sucked in a sharp breath of air as Phoebe hopped onto his laps. His hands floated in the air around him, unsure of what to do before cautiously scratching the same spot as before.

He mumbled something inaudible to Noel but with a tone between confusion and dread. His eyes matched those emotions with eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m glad…” deep breath. “She’s…soft.”

And why don’t you ask him instead? Get to know each other.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He has to fight a frown again.

Thanks a lot.*

"So, uh... Mind tellin' me what Eden is? Got somethin' to do with the bible?"

*He probably shouldn't throw a barrage of questions at him. But who could blame him for being just a teensy bit curious about the guy who lived somewhere without pigeons who thought they were angels. Pigeons as angels. Sky rats. Equated to angels. There's very clearly something going on here, and it was not normal.*

"You don't gotta, it'll just give me a better grasp of your... Perception of Phoebe."

*How could someone expect another person to treat a pigeon like an angel? That was insane!

Phoebe was having a great time with Simon, though. She nestled into him for a second, then walked around in an excited circle, then bobbed her head up and down, then did it all over again. He really hoped she wouldn't bite him to grab his attention at some point, it might just scare the poor guy away.*

limitless-liminals

He gradually settled down but he instead concentrated his worry on chewing the dead skin off of his lip. Simon watched the bird with the degree of interest a child would upon seeing their favorite cartoon. He couldnt help but snicker a bit at the movements, petting her head again. At the very least, he was quickly getting a tad more used to her.

He had an expression Noel could recognize from a mile away as he described it: longing.

“Ah, Eden is my home. It’s named after the place in the Bible, yes. It used to be a Mars space station, the first human colony beyond earth, before The Quiet Rapture happened and now there’s no Mars. I sometimes wish we had more, sure, but it was home.”

He didn’t understand how Noel didn’t know that already but something was clearly amiss here.

“…how’s New York City?”

aguidetothemultiverse

*He's utterly dumbfounded. Mars. The fucking planet. This guy made it off Earth. And he lived there. And "The Quiet Rapture"? What the fuck was that??*

"Mars..."

*He couldn't help but blurt it out. His mind was racing. He was speaking with a human from space. He's never done that before! He scrambles for his notebook and quickly jots down "Universe 35 - Eden's home", underlining it few times. Underneath he writes. "Met a guy who used to live on Mars! Now he just lives... out there? I guess?" He underlines "Mars" a few times for emphasis. Because... wow.*

"Uh... Right, New York. It's-"

*This guy's probably never been to Earth. That's why he doesn't know what a pigeon is.*

"Big. To put it simply."

*How does he explain New York City to someone who's never been to Earth??*

"Uh. It's loud. Real loud. Lotta people call it the "City that Never Sleeps", and they're not really lyin' about it. People are always doing something at any hour of the day. All year round."

*Christ, what else can he say? Well. Pigeons. He gestures to Phoebe.*

"Pigeons are everywhere. She's a great example of one. One of the bigger ones that I've seen around, but I've absolutely seen bigger. There's also always some sorta light on. It... can kinda be like a maze if you haven't been there before, but you get the hang of it over time."

*He felt like he was advertising it. There was really no good way to explain the City, especially to someone who'd never been to an Earth city before. But even if they have been to Earth, it was still hard to explain.*

"The buildings are real tall. Call 'em skyscrapers 'cus they touch the sky. And all of them are basically touching, wall to wall. You mix that with the amount of people and you've barely got any room to breathe."

*He chuckles. He kinda missed it, the ability to just... Blend in with the crowd, not get as many strange looks for the large scar that ran across his face, feel like a ghost in a graveyard. Where he was meant to be.

Sure, a break from the crowds was nice, but he preferred not feeling so exposed like this. In one way or another.*

"But, back to you. What's the 'Quiet Rapture'? Is it some War that I should be prepared for in the future?"

*He laughs. It's strained.

Please say no. He couldn't go through another one of those. He couldn't lose his friends again.*

limitless-liminals

Simon glanced back up at him and just sorta…stared. He was trying to put two and two together on why it was so shocking and…why in the world is he writing this down? I mean, they documented stuff on Eden but they didn’t feel the need to document stuff that should be basic knowledge.

His confusion only worsened upon your description as he nodded slowly, trying to picture it in his head. Simon was likely way off but it was better than nothing. It wasn’t as though he had much reference for living spaces that size nor that many people clumped together.

“That’s…woah…weird, but impressive.”

Without realizing, he had stopped petting Phoebe, to which he mumbled an apology for before continuing.

“During the Quiet Rapture, we don’t really know why but all stars and habitable planets just disappeared. There’s space ships and some moons left, sure, but nothing that’s as abundant as Earth’s materials,” he sighed. “I was born after it happened so I can’t give you much besides what I’ve been told.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Maybe I should try drawing it for him... What do you think of that? Or is that too opinionated for you?

He stifles a mischievous little chuckle at that.

As he's taking in the new information about Simon's universe, writing along as fast as he can, Phoebe decides to explore this new person. If he was going to stop petting her, it was her turn to figure this guy out! She clambers up his shirt until she makes it to his shoulder. She tilts her head a few times at his hair (it looked much softer than Noel's, he had to admit).

Then, she plucked a hair from his head, feeling it in her beak. Noel lets out a yelp when he spots her doing this.*

"Hey! Phoebe! You don't need his hair for nesting!! I'll getcha some other stuff!"

*He taps her on the beak lightly, but made sure to have enough force to reprimand her. Nothing that would hurt, if anything, she'd just be annoyed by it.*

"We just met the guy! Be nice!"

*She bites his finger. He frowns at her.*

limitless-liminals

Draw it if you’d like. I’m not stopping you. I think that’s a good way to present information.

Simon was like a statue whenever she explored. He stared with much more fear and uncertainty than what was appropriate for a pigeon. The only reaction she earned was a sharp inhale from her plucking.

Once Noel reacted so freely though, he raised his voice slightly, “Hey, be respectful!”

A crash echoed outside the dumpster right after he spoke.

aguidetothemultiverse

*He slowly holds his hands up in a show of mercy, staring in the direction of the noise. He didn't hurt her...? She was fine. She actually went back to plucking some strands of Simon's hair out, tossing them in Noel's direction.

Also. Did he do that? Or did something hear them? *

"She's not bein' very respectful."

*He grabs her from Simon's shoulder, setting her in his own lap.*

"You're just doin' that to do it, ya little rascal."

*She wrestles out of his grip before settling between the two men. She ignores the couple of strands of hair she pulled from Simon's head, only further proving Noel's point. She then starts to preen herself.*

"She doesn't care, anyway. I do that to her all the time. Hell, I throw her and she enjoys it. A little tap to the nose is probably more playful than reprimanding."

*He grimaces. He should probably find a better form of training her, then...*

limitless-liminals

“She can do whatever she would like,” he scoffed.

Simon allowed her to pluck as much hair as she liked and stared with fascination at the simple act of preening. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. He didn’t have any reference for why she would do that in the first place nor why she needed hair.

But who was he to protest?

Simon plucked out a chunk more of his hair and set it down in front of Phoebe.

“I don’t think she needs reprimanded.”

aguidetothemultiverse

*Instead of accepting the clump of hair, she whacks him with her wing as Noel puts his hands up in a panic.*

"Woah, woah, woah! Let's- Let's not tear your whole scalp off for her, alright?"

*He takes Simon's hands and places them in his lap.*

"If she's gonna take your hair, it's gonna be of her own doing. She doesn't really like it when people get hurt. Unless she's the one causing it, I guess."

*He drops his voice to a murmur for that last bit. Simon didn't need to know how much of a hypocrite this bird was. That was for Noel and Phoebe on their own.*

"I let her do most things mosta the time anyway. She could at least be polite to strangers."

*He ruffles the feathers on the top of her head, putting on a voice like one would use to talk to a puppy while speaking to her.*

"Hear that? Be polite, ya little rat!"

*She coos in response, biting his finger playfully. He chuckles softly with a tiny "ow, what the hell, Pheeb?" and a smile on his face.*

limitless-liminals

Simon flinches in surprise, not expecting that reaction. He blinked and stared between the two, assessing the level of danger. Noel seemed to be okay but the ‘pigeon’ was an element that couldn’t be considered as simply. No, he had to tread on thin ice.

“It’s not that much hair, it’s alright…but if she doesn’t want me to, I won’t. I was just trying to help.”

His confusion only increases with the exchange that those two shared, “And she’s just okay with this?”

Anyhow, how long are you two just going to sit here talking?

aguidetothemultiverse

*He pulls his hands away from Phoebe's face, who immediately goes to waddle back into his lap. He gestures to her.*

"Seems it to me."

*He chuckles a little at her. His stupid pigeon. To think that he tried to get rid of her at first.

And then he sighs, closing his eyes. He briefly thinks to appreciate Arthur for his ability to hold a straight face most of the time.*

"Is the narrator also trying to get you out of the dumpster? Even though she, uh, you know, told me to come in here?"

*There's a twinge of anger in his voice, but he smiles with it. It's a very strained smile.*

"Oh, also, didn't you just hear some rubble outside? Or was that just me?"

*Passive aggression, what a tool. His favorite, even. Maybe he was a bit light on the "passive" part of it, though.*

limitless-liminals

Simon smiled at the bird’s behavior, finally settling into the existence of her at the very least. She seemed to be happy from his first impression, so who was he to judge? That wasn’t his role in existence.

“Uh, they never told me to jump into here but they’re also not telling me to get out? They’ve been quite quiet for me. Are they not quiet for you…? I don’t even have a label like you do.”

Another crash hit outside, louder, angry.

“But yeah, I’ve been hearing everything crashing.”

this-rp-blog-does-not-exist

Yikes, that looks like quite a bad storm cloud overhead. Good thing you’ll have to comfort of the Waylay to shield you from the rain. Tell me, what are you up to this stormy night, Winnie?

@limitless-liminals

Winnie was currently rooting through the guts of a toaster she was dismantling. Or at least trying to.

The toast with Ro had been so good and it seemed simple to make! Cutting bread evenly was hard though,and knowing how long to cook it was apparently harder. So now she was attempting to free the uneven brick of charcoal she had made from the toast slot.

It was not going very well.

limitless-liminals

*Oh! It looks like you could use some help with that…*

The sound of ruffling paper echoed in your mind.

*…Winnie! Maybe, try putting a fork into it or something? That way you can stab it and drag it out. Hmm, either that or grab a new toaster and restart? Let’s check on it multiple times this time though so you can get the ideal toast.*

this-rp-blog-does-not-exist

Winnie looks around a bit confused and slowly reaches to grab a fork before reconsidering. She scrunches her nose, thinking hard, but quickly moves over to her text to speech device.

“Hello? Is this magic? Can you hear me? Who are you?”

limitless-liminals

*My name is Kiki! The fella with me is—*

Narrator. You can call me Narrator if you need to refer to me.

*…Right. Okay, so, I also want you to grab peanut butter too because that’s super yummy. Oh! You should make an extra slice of toast so I can have one.*

Kiki.

*What?*

You know what.

*…Killjoy*

this-rp-blog-does-not-exist

Winnie looks at the half dismantled toaster sitting infront of her before looking back around at the room around her. Still empty.

“Where are you? This is so weird.”

She slowly gets up out of her wheelchair, limping over to the pantry, grabbing a knife on the way. Just in case.

Then she finds a jar that says peanut butter on it and the loaf of bread she had used earlier. Pausing in the pantry Winnie looks around, waiting for any further commentary.

limitless-liminals

We are somewhere that is no concern to your safety. You are okay.

*…*

Sorry for my co-worker’s rude introduction—

*That was a nice introduction! I want a sandwich.*

We have sandwiches here.

*Too bad. They suck and the bread tastes weird.*

this-rp-blog-does-not-exist

Getting back over to her chair and the dismantled toaster with her pantry spoils she only has more questions.

“If you aren’t even here then why am I getting you food?”

limitless-liminals

*Because you will be—*

—Let’s just move on, shall we? How do you feel about going on a stroll, hm? It’ll be easier to think outside.

this-rp-blog-does-not-exist

“Yea sure. But I’m bringing the knife. Is this somewhere I can get to in my wheelchair or am I getting my walking practice for the day? If I walk it’s going to be slow as hell.”

limitless-liminals

Feel free to bring the knife but that depends, is outdoors in the Waylay wheelchair accessible? If not, I’m always welcome to explore the Waylay’s indoors finally.

A day in the sun lounging by the beach would be an excellent way to spend your time. Ah, what’s the name for it? A “beach episode”? Now, the real question is if you’re taking advantage of this weather or not. Tell me, dear, what are you up to today?

@limitless-liminals

kayne has been doing pretty much nothing but his job these past few days. its monotonous but its a nice break from the sitcom like shenanigans that plague him and Yorick's life. from gravedigging to insect horrors work is one hell of a way to distance yourself from everything.

but as for the former he is just taking orders customers and his bosses orders for the day as well as some order for himself..

limitless-liminals

A customer strolls in, skin more plastic than flesh with sections that look as though they’ve been burnt before solidifying again. It held the shape of human in the way a Kirby did, which is to say it was quite round and not in any way fat would naturally hold itself. It adorned no clothes but its vibrant yellow hue had doll anatomy, thankfully.

Rather than taking an order, it just sat down. Its eyes, which looked to just be sharpie-d circles, only stared. At least, that’s what they could assume with eyes like those. Who knows, maybe they weren’t their true eyes.

even despite the several seconds of silence Kayne would decide to go ahead and talk maybe they just needed a bit of encouragement to talk

"welcome to raising Kayne's how may i serve you?" he would rattle off his usual spiel expecting the usual order to come forth so he could continue going on with his job.

it wasn't completely unusual to see this type of entity there was that annoying bastard who happened to be a doll who killed everyone in a rage.

Kayne would giggle to himself about the slight resemblance to that pink round thing he had seen once online. although tried his best to keep on his 'customer service smile' maintaining eye contact with whatever the hell those..what could you call eyes.

where the hell was this things face?

limitless-liminals

*It’s quite rude to judge appearances, y’know?*

The voice cut through his mind like a knife would a plate of titanium. Not very smoothly.

*Hey, my voice isn’t THAT grating!*

I never said it was. Sorry, sorry, ahem, let me get back to my descriptions though.

The face only continued to stare until it tipped its round head to the side and…

*Off with their head!*

The head plopped onto the floor and rolled smoothly, not stopping even when it ran into other customers.

oh thank fuck Yorick isn't here right now..annoying. i hate him..anyways kayne was quite surprised to hear a voice in his head that wasn't just his own. of course there were other to not be named but it could still be surprising.

" WHAT THE APSOLUTE [BEEP] "

he would yell out obviously attracting the attention of quite a few OTHER beings. Kayne would not scream but instead jump at the sudden dropping of head jumping like a startled cat. "why CANT MY DAYS EVER GO NORMALY" kayne would yell to nobody IN PARTICULAR.

"WHAT the HELL do you WANT?!?!?"

limitless-liminals

*Meow, meow, meow!*

The laugh track of our audience could be heard through every wall of the building.

*I thought we got rid of that thing. It always felt too fake.*

Meh, the boss like it.

The head rolled around the counter in a controlled manner, heading straight for you. Doesn’t its smile look friendly?

.......................

creepy why can they do that? i kind of wish yorick was here at least he was tolerable... its like this thing is like arthur lester...whats the deal...

...hm..i wonder if i can..

KAYNE WOULD FEEL THE SUDDEN URGE TO GO GET YORICK two minds are better than...whatever the hell is going on here.

kayne needs to flee anyway that thing is getting closer.

hewould start running to the back. to WHO KNOWS WHERE TO GET WHO KNOWS WHAT.

" KNIFE... [BEEP [BEEP] [BEEP] getawaygetawaygetaway"

limitless-liminals

As Kayne began to run away, he felt his foot slip but not on a puddle, no, through the floor itself. The confines of reality bended as what was once a solid became nothing more than an illusion. As his calf went down further and further, it felt like a swarm of buzzing bees enveloping the muscle.

The moment he had to think and react to the situation was too short to do anything properly before his other leg followed, and went down just as quickly.

You were falling.

That much was clear, but the descent seemed infinite with no end in sight. Matter of fact, with the amount of TV static in your vision, it was impossible to say if you could see at all.

.........oh this couldn't have been easy now could it!

"OH WHAT IN THE APOSULTE [BEEP] "

he would try to reach out at anything he could grab onto to escape this hole failing miserably.

kayne could never have a normal day could he? could he! of course not.

not here not now.

kayne braced himself for any sort of impact that would be soon to come. if there's one thing he hated more than [insert here]

it was the vast. like that one time he got stuck in a corn maze. there was too much corn we will not tell you more.

Kayne could of course waste his lungs on screaming but such a thing seemed pointless.

the best thing to do was to wait for an end. like death perhaps?

he would still end up back at home right?

I HATE THIS

limitless-liminals

[insert here]…? We will not tell you more? That’s typically not how this goes…? Hold on…let me get connected with management.

*KNOCK KNOCK, Is someone is there?*

Kiki! There’s procedures!

*we’re both wondering it!*

”what the hell is going on!? What the hell are you going on about!?”

Kayne would continue falling. It was surprisingly not fun at all. Nothing like portal ….even if he wanted to get away he couldn’t as teleporting requires NOT BEING IN THE Air.

“Oh Waffle House… oh bloody dagger give me death something something can’t remember”

Kayne would try to summon his trusty dagger to get the hell out of this awful situation… it would instead slip out of his hands…

butterfingers

“[beep]”

limitless-liminals

*Give me liberty or give me death? Is that what you’re quoting..? Why are you quoting that right now? Odd…ANYWAYS GET OUT HERE NARRATOR AND TELL US! I KNOW YOU’RE IN HERE!*

You would continue falling, eyes still remaining nothing but a blur. You’d think a floor should arrive soon…right..?

Of course they wouldn’t know the…this kind of thing…morons and of course Kayne couldn’t get his bloody dagger back.

“ Whoever the hell you are get me the [beep] out of here!”

….who the fuck do you think you are!? You…can’t just!

……

I don’t have to tell you anything! why don’t you tell me why you can just know about us!?

limitless-liminals

He’s in our power now. He can fall forever if we wish. We have plenty to narrate, you won’t have anything but bland static. So, you don’t have to tell us stuff.

She giggled *Yeah!*

We can know about you because we’re narrators ourselves. It’s difficult to hide when you’re both behind the same scenes. Typically, the other ones aren’t as…fleshed out as you are. At the very least, they’re nothing more than a part of the character’s consciousness. You’re a bit different.

………….

……….. wow i sure loved the part where you explained any of your bullshit ! I’m still not telling you anything if you can’t even answer a single question.

”you know what I’ll just close my eyes and hope this blows over”

hmph ! If I had a body you could probably see I’m crossing my arms and sticking my tounge at you and also I’m flipping you off. It’s cause I’m so much better than you.

……..

limitless-liminals

*They…did explain it all…? Or— hold on, how many of us do you think there are?*

Kayne only kept falling.

Down

Down

Down

Down

you and the voice I can’t hear now can I? What? You forget there’s still a mental block ? If the whole universe could hear us they would probably go insane now wouldn’t they?

I’m being sarcastic by the wa we

I can only hear you in full clarity

so explain .

limitless-liminals

*Ohhhh…that makes so much more sense Why you responded how you did…Basically what she said was that we know about you because when you’re both narrating behind the scenes, it’s easy to tell. There’s no curtain for you to hide behind because we’re both behind the curtain! Besides, you stand out from other narrators. The other thing was we can keep Kayne falling forever so you better tell us what we want to know.*

excuse you. you have no right to just hold us hostage! i don't care about you or your curiosity put me back! gods... at least take us to dinner first!

you could have done this in so many different ways. was falling really your only option?!

.........................

......................

but fine ill play your little stupid game so explain what the hell you want!

limitless-liminals

*Do you think this is romantic? I mean…I can take you out to dinner and then I’ll tuck you into bed with me and we can kiss and cuddle and—*

KIKI..?

*—What? We’d do it together of course!*

….I don’t think that’s what they meant. As lovely as that sounds, I think there was a miscommunication.

*…Oops…ANYWAYS…uh, yeah, it’s the only option we got right now! Anyways, tell me what you censored before!*

i just meant to make things nicer. even if i cant technically eat it would be an improvement than the void. but yeah take my out to dinner it would be a significant improvement.

.....

IS THERE SOME SORT OF SWITCH YOU CAN TURN ON SO I CAN HEAR whatever you're talking to.

.....as for what the hell i censored before i couldn't think of anything.

but if you want a real answer his own flesh he is in a constant state of pain and misery. he hates himself.

limitless-liminals

*Have you seen the guy? Of course he hates himself! I would too!*

Be right back, I’m gonna go look for that spare mic. This one only lets me do my normal stuff.

*Theyre gonna go try and find a way to talk to you though! Typically, they aren’t needing to talk directly to people.*

ok rude i don't see you having to commentate over his life every day.

but you can never hate him as much as i do. you don't know what its like half of what i have to go through with him.

but yeah... go find a something its not awfully fun to have a one sided conversation.

limitless-liminals

*Blah, blah, blah, quit complaining. I comment on a lot of people’s jobs and I love my life and this job is great. Blah, blah, shut your yap.*

Kiki, I’m back! Is this thing on? Can you hear me? One two three, testing?

is that your crude impression of me ? otherwise no comment it doesn’t deserve words. You can’t anger me I’m fine.

and yes I can hear you loud and clear. So that’s your name? Hm. Stupid.

now what the hell do you want to know so we can get this over with.

limitless-liminals

*Im curious about a lot of things! And I bet you don’t even have a name other than “narrator” so you can’t be talking.*

Kiki, we have to get this thing on a roll. You know what they said about letting someone fall for an extended period of time.

*Only in certain circumstances and I can’t abuse the right.* she sighed

*First question! Why are you different?*

i don't need a name names are stupid. I'm not being put in a box like that what did you pick your own name or something?

ehhh Kayne will be fine he’s been in worse this is really the least of my worry’s still this would be better at dinner though. I might answer more your making it hard to think.

But classify different. I can’t define if I don’t know what you’re thinking right.

limitless-liminals

*We should bring him here so we can actually take them to dinner!*

Kiki, you know how I feel about most people actually seeing me. Besides, they aren’t exactly happy with you.

*Hmmm…true…I’ll set up a huge curtain for you to go behind!*

Did you just ignore the hate part?

*Yep! Because with enough love, anyone can be joyous. As for my questioonnnnnn, why aren’t you dull like the other narrators? You got more pizzaz.*

I’m just saying dinner makes me think more clearly ! If I had hands I would be raising them at you .

I’m also saying a fancy dinner would improve my mood.

but to answer your question one could say I’m more self aware..most don’t talk to others. Just describe …..no one can really hear. Ugh except this one idiot named yorick. I was just minding my own before I met him.

ugh it’s a whole other story. All you need to know is that he can hear me and that’s a issue andihatehim

But I guess I became more aware after…I could be heard talked to one could say…anything else.

limitless-liminals

*Oh! Should I bring him along too? I wanna meet the guy.*

I quite like just describing in most circumstances. I don’t like being made aware I’m existing 24/7. I like choosing when that happens freely.

*That makes sense though! Do you want me to drop Kayne now though? I can take you out to dinner later…but you might need a body.*

you can if you want but if you want an opinion don't its really annoying and it never shuts up.

i swear....ugh

......wait what do you mean 'drop kayne' like at his house orrrr what? i need details you!

but yeah i don't have much of a body so that would be great...make it mysterious if you can

limitless-liminals

*Im a yapper though…*

I’m not. Please, I’m not getting him. Besides, I don’t like the front rooms.

*Finnnneee, fair enough. Our dinner will be in the backrooms near our home then. I don’t want to have to go too far. The whole body thing might be difficult but I can probably snag some guy’s body as a template. I always fuck up to proportions.*

I’ll try my best to help as well.

*OH! As for the dropping, Kayne would be dropping into where he was intended to land in the first place. People call it the backrooms or whatever.*

oh that place…i have no faith in Him i know he’s seen like 5 vidio essays and one game but I don’t think rapidly pressing e can get him out of this

some body is better than no body…Tch yorick allways complains. prick.

…..strange I diddent travel with Kayne though….shame eh….why would I care

bring me along I guess. Wherever you are I guess I have to follow.

limitless-liminals

*…How do you have video essays? I never knew about this.*

Fuck, they know about it againnnnn. I’m gonna have to sit down with them again, aren’t I?

*HA! Have fun.*

But hold on a minute, are you not with Kayne who is continuously falling right now? How the fuck did you get separated because that wasn’t either of us. That may be out of our control.

i though that was your faults. oh...hm how peculiar. am i just narrating you both now? only a jest.

but it must be some sort of 'backrooms' weirdness that's going on....nothing makes sense. but convenient no?

but yeah i think people go into there for shits and giggles a lot vlogging stealing stools?

thrifting i guess

Kayne loves watching that sort of thing and I'm forced to sit through them. what's worse is that he plays them at two times speed so i have to watch more.

limitless-liminals

That’d explain it but I might have to go soon to fix this. Kayne is on our list of people to narrate so we gotta…you know…narrate him.

*You gonna try to mess with the box first?*

Nah, I’ll suck it up and do the easier way even if it’s annoying.

*Fair enough.*

But are you sure those weren’t fake? Because I promise you, that’s not really a thing that happens around here. Your universe might have something that’s oddly similar. That wouldn’t surprise me.

I don’t care much if it’s real i still hate it all in the end. I try to drown it out honestly. It at least gives me a break from narrating but gods it’s annoying.

But….what the hell is your list? The box ? What the hell are you doing what the hell are we doing ? No dinner? I have to know these things!

you’re not making much sense is what I’m saying.

so why don’t you try to reword that so it doesn’t make nonsense !

limitless-liminals

*Oh! The box is a way that we fix errors in the system. There’s a lot of code and wires and switches that don’t make sense so usually it’s a last resort. Typically, there’s other ways to fix errors, like the one we’re having now.*

God, do I gotta do this?

*I don’t know how to fix this one! Anyways, the list is essentially who we narrate, and yes, you’re still getting dinner.*

great! Hopefully you can get this call in order soon enough! I don’t know what Kayne would do without me. Other than wither away and die.

hopefully his mind will brush this off rather quickly….

I’m holding you to your word about dinner and a body by the way. You better not disappoint .

limitless-liminals

Yeah, yeah, just give me a second. I need to mess with the box and that’s a pain in the ass. I’m not really trained in this. Youll be reconnected eventually though.

*I’ll give you the best dinner and body ever! You have any food preferences? Or anyway you wanna look in particular? I have plenty of ideas I gotta cater to you first.*

Mmm no worry’s Kayne can wither and die away. He deserves it to be honest. Nevermind ehh I don’t want to think about it right now!

I have no food preferences well other than it just being nicer than a fast food restaurant. As for looks… mysterious hotter than Kayne and least having appendages. But go ahead what are your ideas dear?

limitless-liminals

I think you need to reevaluate how you think about your characters. Can’t you get replaced for another narrator? We have plenty here so if there’s any issues or someone is on lunch break then we can switch.

*Hotter than Kayne is kinda subjective! Give me more details before I start sketching.*

why would you care? we don't work under the same employer do we? i work alone. and I'm not putting more thought into him!

but well anyone hotter than him so any body really.

hm.... more eyes? its quite stupid to not have more. oooh and make me taller than yorick. should be really easy anything higher than 2 feet. also the ability to flip people off I've been wanting to do that for a while.

what are your ideas though?

limitless-liminals

I thought we may be working under sister companies, maybe. I don’t meet many freelancers in this business but I can see how it may be appealing. Why you are choosing to stay with someone you don’t like is beyond me though.

*I don’t have tooo many ideas. It usually starts once I start sketching and my ideas flow but personally, I think Kayne is kinda cute. I wanna chuck him at a wall.*

just what my boss ordered me to do. I don’t really question it. That’s about it you could say. Da boss gives me orders I follow them whatever . I presume I have some sort of paycheck.

mm fair enough I guess. Dunno how you find Kayne cute but he has a boyfriend so someone out there must like him.

You almost done with the box there what’s-your-name?

limitless-liminals

You should probably know if you get a paycheck. I don’t get one but I’m paid through other means so it’s not a big deal.

*I get paid in candy!*

…Kiki, please ask for more.

*I like my job so I don’t need more.*

…right…and I’m nearly done with the box. I’m trying to get these wires sorted out. You can just call me Narrator though. I don’t need much of another name.

...whatever but candy that cant be healthy at all have you ever heard the phrase too much of a good thing can be a bad thing? "

and great!....yeah totally was asking for your name there or something

you can just refer to me by my pronouns i don't need a name. those things are constricting.

and what do you plan on doing about that dinner by the way?

limitless-liminals

*My body is different than a human’s. It’s fine! I’m in peak health for my species.*

Kiki, you’re not really a species.

*Im healthy is my point.*

Alright. As for you, I was just providing a name so you didn’t have to say ‘what’s-your-name.’ I was simply being considerate of that but it’s nice to meet you.

*Oooo, I want sushi or noodles though!*

mm fair enough i guess.

but nice to meet you too this is at least an improvement from meeting yorick. the only one i kind of like is the cat.

but just as long as food is not from a fast food restaurant I'm fine. eugh no chicken either that stuff is disgusting. other than that i should be fine

you about done with the box again? its been pretty long waiting you know simply must get back to my job you know!

limitless-liminals

*Ay ay captain, your food preferences are heard and pretty please, let me meet the cat.*

I wouldn’t mind that either. Anyways, I just have one more wire then…okay, we should be good.

Like a switch, you feel yourself reconnect with Kayne who was still falling…Yeah, I forgot we left him like that. That was on me.

*Youve left people in worst situations!*

True.

well you would have to get to kaynes house dunno how you would do that. ah great he passed out. he probably twisted himself upside down and let the blood rush to his head or something. eugh do you just want to drop him off at home and pretend that this was probably all a dream to him or whatever? you can see the cat i guess. ...his house should just be like down the kitchen and into the door.

and the doors probably locked.

limitless-liminals

*Yeah! I want to see the ca—*

Kiki, we have a job.

*:(*

How did you speak that..?

*Magic!*

We can get the cat later but no, we have to drop him someone where in our realm. He can be close to our home though so you can visit though.

what do you mean drop him somewhere else ? What more do you have to do that involves him.

what do you mean visit him? You can just keep him!

he’s literally dying and incapacitated at the current moment what is going to do? Play pretend like a doll at a tea party ?

Answer me.

limitless-liminals

*Geez, be patient!*

You’ll see what involves him soon but we don’t have much of a choice in the matter. It’s something larger than both of our powers combined.

*And besides, we’re wanting to visit you! Not him.*

He’ll be awake soon enough anyways.

oh so what youre just obeying some higher power? that's fucking stupid! tch...

but sure sure ill go alone with whatever this is. not like I'm the one who has a body here.

and you better show me whatever the hell involves him. will he wake up if he's still falling?

limitless-liminals

*Oh, right! Let me click the button.*

Kayne’s body smacked against a hard surface, somehow ending up undamaged. He would be a bit bruised, sure, but nothing that time couldn’t easily fix.

He’ll wake up in a second and then I’ll describe the surroundings. I don’t want to do it twice.

oh come on I’m sure he’ll just wake up in a second ! Like he would… oh GODAMMIT

Kayne would wake up from his little nap. Of course his head and body hurts. No idea of where he could be as he looks around at what lies ahead.

trying to find and make sense of what happened. Dreams of dolls falling and clipping plague his mind.

limitless-liminals

When he opened his eyes, what greeted him was a series of industrial pipes lining the concrete walls. The metal overlapped and bent in the cramped hallways in patterns that’d make an engineer want to grimace. Rust covered some pipes while others were pristine, shining much more than they should with the limited light.

Emergency lights were on, the dangling ones that Kayne could touch if he stood up, having no lightbulbs inside of them. At most, he could see a couple of yards in front of him in detail while the rest became blurry.

A clear liquid dripped from the pipes and ceiling, fizzing into a smoke as soon at it hit the ground. You could assume the sulfur scent was likely emitting from that.

The hallways seemed to go on and on, the emergency lights in both directions getting darker the further he looked.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Woah, that rain sure is coming down hard! Get it because— wha’dya say? Oh! Sorry, sorry, okay, ahem. I’ll restart. Ignore this, sorry. My friend is on lunch break.*

*The rain is coming down hard tonight, thunder accenting the downpour. Tell me, Mr.Merlot, what are you up to tonight?*

@limitless-liminals

....The hell's it look like? 'M drunk in the damn rain.

*He's sitting just outside the main Waylay doors, with a bottle of wine, absolutely drenched. He takes a long sip from what's left in the bottle, before it hits him that he just... heard...? and spoke to somebody.*

...Wait what. The fuck?

*He stands up and looks around. With nobody in sight, he squints up into the rain.*

I am nowhere near fucked up enough to hallucinate shit.... ????

limitless-liminals

*I forgot my voice comes across differently than the other narrator. This mayyyyy be an issue. She needs to get back here soon…*

*Okay, Merlot, I need you to pretend that I’m just in your head in the way your thoughts are! Still talk to me though because it’s lonely otherwise but I’m meant to be here. Got it? Got it. Amazing, great, moving on.*

*Why are you drunk tonight?*

rainedrop-roleplay

How'd you get in there. Nobody's s'posed to get in there since-

..Ah whatever. Fuck it.

*He sits back down, still talking aloud.*

....Not a whole lot else to do. Ro has th'kids, don't need me hanging around constantly.

..Gah, that makes me sound fuckin' married or divorced some shit...

I got nothing, alright? 'Cept bein' in my own head. And that shit sucks. So, the fuck are you doin' in there tonight?

limitless-liminals

*Thats a little secret for later. C’mon, don’t try to spoil the surprise, killjoy. You’ll find out later just hold your horses.*

*We can talk about me and I’d love to, but just not— What do you mean I can’t talk about myself? I want to— fine, fine, okay…Please, ask me questions about myse— How on Earth did you hear that?*

*God, okay, that’s annoying. Anyhow, I may have to stay in your head for awhile, just a warning.*

rainedrop-roleplay

Yeah, what do you mean she can't talk about- shit is it she? Sherself- him- It- themself??

*Merlot glares up at the rain, eagerly and somewhat drunkenly latching onto the idea of someone to be pissed at. How dare the background person he can't hear boss around his new head voice who he's not sure the gender situation of and is a bit too drunk to ask about it without stumbling around?*

Bitch??

limitless-liminals

*Use whatever pronouns you’d like. It makes no difference to me since I don’t really get your folks whole gender situation going on. Dont confuse me for those people who have a stick up their ass though. I don’t get it but I also don’t care to be judgy.*

*But let’s uh…let’s ignore that other fella with us. They aren’t part of the story.*

rainedrop-roleplay

..Huh, ok..

...Anyways, the fuck are you doin' in my head?

limitless-liminals

*You’ll see! How do you feel about going for a walk?*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Eh. why not.

*He stands up again, and starts wandering off, following the wall of the Waylay building into the direction of the woods.*

limitless-liminals

*Soooooo, how’dya die? Your file doesn’t really specify.*

The walls of the Waylay are marked by an unusually amount of moss. The longer you travel, the darker the green hue becomes and the denser the plant is. Frigid rain patters against you back as one cloud, hanging lower than the rest, follows you.

*Oh, you’re back from your lunch break!*

rainedrop-roleplay

...That's none of your damn business.

*He peels some moss off the wall, rolling and squishing it into a ball between his hands while he walks.*

limitless-liminals

*It is! I wanna know.*

Kiki.

*What? It’s a good question! We need to tell the higher ups to stop leaving out important information.*

Kiki.

*Fine, fine. I’m sorry, Mr. Merlot.*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Eh. it's fine.

*He slows down a little to look over his shoulder, squinting up at the cloud that seems to be following.*

....Are you the weird cloud?

limitless-liminals

*I wouldn’t call myself a weird cloud but yeah, I’m the cloud!*

The cloud did a little circle in the air. Frankly, I don’t like how overt she’s being but who am I to complain?

*You just think we shouldn’t have any personality ever with our job.*

rainedrop-roleplay

...Huh. sup?

*He waves at the cloud.*

limitless-liminals

The cloud extended a ‘limb’ that waved before it came down closer and closer- KIKI.

*Keep talking!*

Kiki came down to the ground next to you, hovering right in front of you. Its pure white color stood out against the grey, stormy clouds.

*Hi! Hello!*

rainedrop-roleplay

Uh, hi.

*He waves, still competely unphased by all of this. Maybe it's just because he's a bit drunk, or maybe he's just Like That. After a second, he offers Kiki the wadded up ball of moss. That one's definitely from the drunk part, that's a drunk gift.*

limitless-liminals

Kiki giggled and with a ‘hand’ formed from clouds, she took the moss ball and patted him on the head. Oddly, there was substance to it and it felt how a kid might imagine a cloud would, like a soft pillow.

*Thank you for the amazing gift!* she chirped, genuine.

Kiki took the ball and tossed it into her mouth in a motion that can only be assumed as eating it. Afterwards, she hummed in delight.

rainedrop-roleplay

Uh, you're welcome..

*He cracks a crooked smile, then starts walking again.*

...So, what are we doin'?

limitless-liminals

*C’mon, you don’t want to ruin the surprise!*

Kiki began a path into the woods, a portion that seemed unfamiliar no matter how much he had explored here. Dense pine trees decorated the rocky trail. Little light penetrated the forest despite the lack of a thick canopy.

*you’ll seeeeee~*

rainedrop-roleplay

Fiiine..

*He shrugs and keeps walking. Aside from squinting at the unusual darkness, he's not as bothered as he should be by the strange unfamiliarity of the area. Rather than get tense and suspicious, he starts quietly humming a tune.*

limitless-liminals

The cloud circled around him routinely, which was convenient considering the tiny amount of luminosity it had. She occasionally obstructed his vision but not enough to be anything more than a slight annoyance.

*Im not annoying!*

You going in front of people’s eyes is though.

*…Oopsies! Sorry, Mr!*

The deeper you went the less her light helped you. It only got darker and darker until you could hardly see a foot in front of you. A few times, you nearly stumbled into a pine tree of hit your foot on a giant rock.

rainedrop-roleplay

Ah fuckin- Hey, I can't fuckin' see shit in here!

*He complains after nearly tripping for a 3rd time.*

Shoulda died with a damn flashlight on me...

limitless-liminals

*I can see perfectly fine!*

The air brought goosebumps on your skin, abruptly introducing you to a frozen breath that sent shivers down your spine. Breathing chilled your throat like ice would and it only lingered in your chest.

The path continued on then

Dark.

No light from Kiki and nor natural sunlight

But a primal need to keep moving forward persisted.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot gets... quiet suddenly. He slows to a halt, only to breathe deep and further take in the cold.

The cold is... right. Somewhere cold is where he had been going, before he was stopped in his tracks. Before he was killed. Before he was Waylaid. He starts to move again, a slow walk building up into a desperate sprint. It doesn't matter that he can't see where he's going, it doesn't matter how many times he might crash into a tree or trip and fall and have to get back up, he keeps running with all he has.

Because this has to be it. This is where he needs to be. It's not too late afterall.

He can still make things right.*

limitless-liminals

*HEY, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?*

You crash into several pine trees and snow(?) lands on your skin. It melts and chilling liquid dribbles down your shirt and into your hair. Pine needles scrape your skin much deeper than they should and you trip over rocks countless times.

Personally, I’m confused by this new found drive as well but if you wish to quicken the process, who am I to judge?

In the distance is a source of light, nearly blinding like the sun. It stings your cornea to gaze for too long but it highlights the outline of the trees.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Snow. Snow and trees. This is the place, it has to be. Merlot flinches and shields his eyes against the light, but he keeps going. The near empty wine bottle is left behind in the dark, forgotten. No longer needed.*

I have to get there!-

*Behind the arm shielding his face, Merlot's expression is set in fierce determination. There's a fire behind his eyes, reignited.*

limitless-liminals

*Suit yourself!*

What is your objective here?

Each footstep seems to take you no where. No where closer to the light and it was like running in a treadmill.

rainedrop-roleplay

Damn it!

*He keeps running, desperation taking determination's place. He's so close, he can't fail again.*

I have to- I have to get there, I have to find It- so I can go back and-

And fucking kill that bastard!!

limitless-liminals

What is it? Who are you killing?

The treadmill-like quality never stopped. He wasn’t running into anything but the frigid temperatures persisted.

*Da— Narrator..?*

Quit it.

rainedrop-roleplay

*It doesn't matter to him that he's not getting any closer. He's sure he HAS to at some point. So he keeps running. And running. Merlot can't help slowing down as exhaustion seeps it's way into his bones, but he doesn't stop. The cold and the pine trees and the snow(?) have unlocked some borderline feral quality within him.*

The.. the Deathless.

When I... am Deathless.. I can kill him- The fucker who killed me!

*Running gradually slows to a jog, then to a walk. Even as his legs are shaking, threatening to give out, and each breath is coming as a harsh gasp, Merlot forces himself forwards. He'll go until he collapses.*

limitless-liminals

Mr. Merlot, I need you to understand that we can help you. Kiki and I have powers beyond what we’ve shown and our connections are wide. Our resources are even grander.

Sit down. Time is paused and running won’t bring you anywhere but closer to exhaustion. The ‘fucker who killed you’ can’t go anywhere either.

In order for us to help, you have to make a semblance of sense. Explain from the beginning what happened.

rainedrop-roleplay

.....from the begining, huh?

*He stops, but for several minutes just, stands in silence. Eventually, he turns to the left a little and slowly sits down, slumping forward a little.*

....

.

.

....Once upon a time, I had a city. I didn't just run it, it was mine. I built it up from the tiny shithole it started as. Turned it into something worth living in. And then I... lost someone. It... left me in a weird fucking haze. Suddenly nothing mattered. So this bastard, August, rose to power right under my fucking nose. Right in front of my face. I should've cared, should have fucking done something, but I didn't. Nothing mattered until...

Until I met his kid.

The piece of shit uses him as a fucking... executioner. Child soldier. Treats him worse than an object. By the time I figured out what was going on, I'd become... this.

*He gestures vaguely at himself.*

Too fucking old and frail and alone to do shit against this young bastard and his... arsenal of zealots and supernatural shit. So I made a little deal with.. something. Learned the answer to my problem.

"Go north, to the coldest corner of the world, and die in the presence of the Deathless. Become it."

....Except I never made it out of the fucking city. August got wind of the fact I was packing up to leave. I did fight back, but it wasn't enough. It was never going to be enough. Not with me like this.

I promised that kid I'd kill the fucker. That I'd give him a normal life...

I failed.

limitless-liminals

Oh…Oh, I’m so sorry…That wasn’t what I was expecting to hear. We’ll see what we can do for you, okay? We know your universe number so we’ll see what we can gather.

*A kid doesn’t deserve that…*

The cloud appeared again and wrapped around you, unnaturally warm. It glowed like a night light, a comforting anchor in this dark abyss.

*You didn’t either. We’ll get you there, okay?*

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot sits frozen, a bit dumbfounded at first. Is this real? Can these voices really help the way they say they can, can they be trusted?... What's the catch going to be? Not that it would matter. He'd do anything to go back and make things right.*

....Okay.

*He reaches up, hugging the cloud back if he can.*

limitless-liminals

Your hands sunk into the cloud a tad as if you were hugging a pillow. She only unwound herself once you let go and even then, she was a tad hesitant.

Unlike before, she didn’t disappear. No, she illuminated the way for you towards the blinding light. The trees were denser and path rockier, less worn down by human travel. Pine needles littered the way alongside the chilly pink, glittery powder decorating the floor and trees.

rainedrop-roleplay

*He gives the cloud a little pat after letting go.*

...Thanks.

*Then he turns and starts heading towards the light again, still determined, but more calm and measured this time.*

limitless-liminals

*Of course!*

The temperature gets lower and lower until you’re shivering and your teeth are clattering. Each step is laborious with deeper and deeper powder crunching beneath your feet. The cloud, now much warmer than before, aids you significantly in ensuring a proper body temperature.

*We’re almost there.*

The light is blinding and only a few feet away. Now, it’s impossible to see due to an abundance of light rather than a lack of it. Your eyes brim with tears around the edges, attempting to compensate.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot wraps his arms tight around himself in response to the increasing cold. As the light becomes fully blinding, he shuts his eyes tight, trusting the welcome warmth of the cloud to keep guiding him in the right direction through it.*

Fuckin' hell...

limitless-liminals

Brighter.

Brighter.

Brightest.

Beckoning him in like an anglerfish’s light. Welcoming into its maw. A twisting sensation in your gut that something is wrong before it’s

Gone.

Gone like how the light disappeared

Gone like how the twisting in your gut unraveled

Gone like how your life faded away from you.

What awaited on the other side was an old village decorated with cobblestone homes. The same snow littered the roof tops alongside the same pungent cold. Smoke billowed from the chimneys, likely an attempt to stay warm.

A well sat in the center of the town, bucket lowered down inside of it. The same moss decorated the cracking stone while the rest of it remained in pristine condition.

The paths were covered with fresh footprints marking the snow(?). They led from home to home with the steps further down going to larger facilities. It was difficult to see through the thick on slaughter of powder but you could make out the shape of them at the very least.

No one walked outside nor was there any noise, just the snow storm brushing wind against your ear and snow occasionally falling off rooftops in chunks.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot tenses up, even after the unsettling feeling fades...It was there. And it's not an unfamiliar feeling. He slowly opens his eyes to a squint once the light is gone, then rapidly blinks them open the rest of the way.*

....It's... just like it's supposed to be...

*Despite his better instincts, the sight of what appears to be one of the landmarks he was supposed to keep an eye out for on the journey he never started, melts the majority of his remaining caution and suspicion like butter on a frying pan.

He walks up to the front door of the nearest cabin, and knocks.*

limitless-liminals

Nothing. No reply, no movement behind the door, nada.

The cloud hovered over your shoulder, emitting the same warmth as before. She hummed a tune and— Kiki, seriously, get out of there.

*Nope!*

Fine.

rainedrop-roleplay

*With no one answering, he tries opening the door, hoping it'll be unlocked and there'll be something inside to tell him more precisely where he is.*

limitless-liminals

The handle clicked open.

…Do you wish to proceed?

rainedrop-roleplay

*...He pauses.*

Why do I feel like this might be a bad idea....

*Despite his clear hesitation, he proceeds inside.*

limitless-liminals

With one more shove open and much resistance came snow crashing down with the force of a bunk bed falling on top of you.

It came for you.

It piled on top of you.

It buried itself around you.

The pink powder forced itself into your nostrils and maw, creating plugs where any oxygen may try to get it. It threatened to freeze the flesh the longer it lingered. The meat tingled and became numb, fighting to keep itself warm enough. Your fingertips and ears nipped with frostbite in a similar fashion.

Darkness filled every attempt to see, Kiki’s light doing little for you. Speaking of her, it was impossible to say if she got crashed into as well.

Kiki..?

.

.

.

Ah, I suppose she did.

rainedrop-roleplay

*Merlot's immediate reaction is to try and flail, then start frantically wiping at his face with his sleeves while trying to spit and force air out of his nose, like when you accidentally swallow a bug, or one flies into your nostril, just with more force and urgency.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, what the hell is this? He didn't come this far just to die a second death from suffocation.

He starts to fumble frantically for something in one of his pockets. It's snow(?), surely it doesn't like fire? After a few shaky striking attempts, made even harder with cold fingertips, Merlot's flip lighter blinks to life near his face.*

limitless-liminals

There was a decent bit of leeway where your limbs could move. Where there was a gap was only filled in by more of the loose powder. That included the tiny amount of time you were able to free your nose as it filled back up again, adding the need to sneeze. So long as your mouth remained shut, that was free though.

The light struggled to light.

One spark.

Two spark.

Three spark.

Finally, it was lit and it began to melt. Liquid hit your face, now trying to cut off air through drowning it seemed. At least it was easier to breathe now.

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*Merlot drags his free hand up to his face, pressing his palm flat against his mouth. Then he cups it, creating an air pocket just long enough to take a deep breath before any of the power and liquid can slip between his fingers.

Holding his breath now, he moves his hand away and starts trying to dig an opening in the snow(?) in front of him. He's sure it's bound to be easier to dig and melt out the side than try to climb up and probably keep sinking. He keeps his head angled down, so any liquid melting from above can only hit the back of his head and flow down the back of his neck.*

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The tunnel seems endless and there’s no sign of Kiki along the way. There wasn’t a single pip or holler nor shine or glimmer.

It’s the same routine for god knows how long: move powder out of the way and keep going.

But why do you fight it? It’s hard to move your limbs now and you’re beginning to feel warm, oh, so very warm, like a hug from your grandma. The force on you is like a weight blanket lulling you to sleep. It’s quite comfortable, is it not?

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*Worry for Kiki bristles in the back of his mind, but there's nothing he can do without getting himself out first. He can't risk trying to call out when this stuff almost seems to have a mind of it's own and wants him dead.

A hug from his grandma?? Oh now that's just pissed him off, he doesn't have one of those, fuck you, fuck this warmth, fuck this powder, fucking bitch-

His thoughts are a continuous stream of angry swears as he tries a different approach, digging away at the powder above him and trying to climb up.*

Warm. Your body only grew warmer and it took a second do your to comprehend if up was truly up. Maybe, you weren’t going to the side at all? Which way was where?

Before you could doubt for much longer, light began to peak through the powder. Liquid was drenched all over you and snow(?) clung but there was light. There was always light at the end of the tunnel.

Proceed?

[yes] [no]

It’s so warm.

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*Merlot pauses for just a moment to do the hand-air-pocket trick again, taking another deep breath and holding it. His lungs are still burning, he really needs a break to breathe properly, but at least he's still not suffocating.

[yes]

He proceeds, digging his way towards the light as fast as he can manage.*

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It’s so hot. The heat is burning your skin the closer to crawl to the light. You could blame it on the lighter, sure, but it shouldn’t be your entire form.

One tiny layer of powder remains…but there’s finally a peep deeper within.

*HELP!*

It was like a crying baby locked inside a car on a sweltering afternoon…well…if a baby could speak. I’d imagine the tone would sound quite similar, high-pitched and loud while muffled by the car’s metal.

Proceed to the surface? Do you wish to be selfish?

[Yes]

[No]

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*He freezes in place. Fuck, fuck can a cloud suffocate? Surely not, but she is calling for help.. Merlot cups his hand over his mouth once more, coughing and gasping a couple times before taking a deep breath again. Being a chronic smoker is REALLY not helping here.

He looks at the light a moment longer. Then he turns away from it, beginning to dig towards where he heard the cry for help.

[no]

He caused the avalanche, even though it was an accident. He can't just leave her down there.*

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The light faded away as you dug deeper and deeper. You could hardly feel your limbs anymore. If you didn’t know better, you might assume they weren’t there.

*MERLOT? MERLOT, WHERE ARE YOU?*

She didn’t sound too far away and fortunately, you had a clear direction. It meant diving straight down though.

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*Merlot curses inwardly, and covers his mouth one more time to yell, hoping it won't be too muffled to carry.*

I'M- *cough COUGH* HERE- ABOVE YOU- *COUHOUGH* JUST HOLD-

*He takes a breath and holds it before he can get trapped in a coughing fit, then flips the lighter closed so he can use both hands to dig. Also to avoid accidentally burning Kiki when he's not sure where precisely she is under the mess of powder.

It's a struggle to keep moving his limbs when he can barely feel them, but it's still not as bad as trying to stand with a bullet through both kneecaps. He dives down.*

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After two feet of digging, you feel the same pillow-life consistency of Kiki’s body. The light within her is dying, flickering like a light bulb out of power.

*Merlot!*

The light intensifies slightly and she climbs closer to you. She wraps around your body with ease, apparently hitching a ride. At the very least, her warmth soothed some of the numbness and her light aided in guiding the way.

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*Once she wraps around him, Merlot turns and starts to dig back the way he came. He won't bring the lighter back out unless the lack of it really impedes his progress more than just digging with one arm would. He needs to get them both out now, before the dizzyness from poor oxygen gets much worse.

It's no longer about getting himself out. This small fluffy being is clinging to him, depending on him.

He claws at the snow(?) with both hands like a dog, only one goal in mind.

Get out.

Get out.

GET OUT.*

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And out you popped, oxygen finally entering your lungs with ease. The height of the pile left you able to climb on the roof if you so pleased, which also had its own layer of powder on it.

Kiki’s body expanded and shrank with each desperate inhale and exhale. With the sunlight, you could now see her previously pristine white had shifted into a murky grey. Her form twisted around your body tighter, clinging while she let out a sound akin to a whimpering dog.

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*After expelling the powder from his nose, Merlot takes a couple minutes to just hack and cough and gasp for air. When darkness is no longer clinging to the corners of his vision, and he doesn't feel like he might fall over from dizzyness, he does climb onto the roof, though not before brushing as much of the powder off to the side as he can.

Once he's safely onto the solid surface, he looks down at Kiki.*

..hey... you alright?

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She let out another whine, clinging tighter now. Kiki’s breathing never calmed down, unlike your own. She shook what you could assume to be her head.

*Scary. Couldn’t move. No, no, no, don’t like. Don’t like.*

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*His normally rough tone quickly softens.*

Shit, hey, hey hey hey, it's ok, it's ok now. We're out..

*He wraps his arms around her, as best as he can while she's wrapped around him.*

I'm.. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't get you out sooner...

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Her grey color only darkens as water begins to drip, much like a rain cloud would. Kiki’s breathing intensified into short choppy—oh, poor thing…Take care of her for me..

Her head buried into the crook of your neck, words coming out rushed.

*’sokayscaryIdontnonononoImnktmeanttobenoImsorryImsorryshouldnthavehadto*

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*He hugs her tighter, raising one hand to pat the back of her head.*

Shh, hey.. That shit falling on us was my fault, I'm the one that disturbed the fuckin' building.. And I'm not letting that happen again, okay?

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She nodded into your neck, bristling some more rain off of her. It made no difference when you were already drenched though but at the very least, it washed off some of the glitter.

*Mhm, okay, okay, that’s okay. I shouldn’t-*

She paused and shook her head, her form practically melting into you as her anchor of comfort. Her breathing stayed short and each inhale was akin to a wheeze.

*Im sorry. I shouldn’t have brokentherulesandIshouldntbehereImsosorryIdidntmeantothisispunishmentImsosorry.*

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Punishment for what? I don't know what "rules" you broke, but FUCK the rules. You've done nothin' wrong. And fuck whoever wants to "punish" you. I'll fuckin' shoot them.

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She shook head, tears increasing.

*Boss, knows. Always knows. I shouldn’t be here. I’m not a character ImnotIshouldntbe. Foolish dreams.*

Oh, Kiki…Hun, you can always come back up. You don’t have to be down there. Down there is scary, I understand. It’s why I’m not down there.

She let out another whiny noise.

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Not a... "character?"

"He's not a person, he's not even really human. Just a thing. Don't be silly, C-"

*Merlot's grip on her tightens a bit. Not enough to hurt, just protective. Maybe even a bit possesive.*

..Kiki? You listen to me, alright? You're whatever you want to be, not what some other fucker tells you. You are a person and no piece of shit can make that less true. They can fuckin' try, but it doesn't change the facts.

*He sighs*

You don't... you don't have to believe me right away, either.... If you want to go back to wherever "up" is, if that's safe... It's alright. I get it. This is different and it's scary... But only if you want to. You don't have to do shit. And if you want to stay here, I promise, I'll do every fucking thing I can to keep you safe.

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Her form turned less solid, melting into a mess if condensation in his hold. Feeling that she was repetitively shaking her head was a difficult task. Her own hold tightened but it didn’t feel that way due to the lack of solidification.

*Wrong, no, no. Mmmmmmm, go home. This isn’t hommmmme. Scary. Bad. Scary bad place.*

Her mind was too overrun by fear and terror to respond in any amount of substance. If you’d like, I can take her off your hands?

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No. Not until she calms down and decides what she wants..

*He practically snarls at the other voice. Then he starts to slowly maneuver into a sitting position, doing his best to bring Kiki's vaguely noncoporeal form with him. His voice softens again, volume lowered to a half whisper.*

hey, hey we're just gonna sit down for a minute, ok? You're safe, it's ok. Just take some deep breaths, try to calm down... I'm not going anywhere. We'll just, sit right here and you can cry it all out.. You can.. you can go home if you want, just calm down.. I'm gonna sit right here as long as you need.

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Alright, understood. I just thought that her home might help her. Y’know, familiar locations and all of that.

*I shouldn’t feel like this. I’m sorry. These feelings aren’t mean for me and—* she sniffled, *—I’ll be calm. I’ll be calm soon. It’s okay. I’m okay. I can choose.*

But her breathing didn’t calm and she only continued to melt.

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No, no no, don't need to apologize. There's not a damn thing wrong with having your feelings. They'll pass on their own, you just calm when you're ready, I don't have anywhere to be right now. Doesn't have to be soon. Okay?

*After a moment, he sighs, then looks up at the sky*

....If she goes home now, can she still come back if she wants to later?

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She whined and clung on tighter, practically liquid. Kiki was warm, a gracious thing in this frigid temperature. Her color had developed from pristine white to nearly black.

*Wrong. It’s really really really wrong and I should’ve and wrong and bad and I’m sorry and it shouldn’t have happened and I shouldn’t be here.*

To answer your question, I won’t stop her. She is her own person. Other people may though.

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Fuck... ...Haddie would know what the hell to do here...

....Kiki? What do you want, right now? Do you think you can tell me? Don't worry about what's right or wrong. What do you think might make you feel better?

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She shook her head repeatedly, water smearing under his chin. Kiki was basically only liquid that was clinging to his clothes and skin now in one flat layer. He couldn’t see her breathing but he could hear every pant.

*Scared. I don’t know. I’m sorry, I don’t know. I don’t know. Never felt like this.*

…Kiki, let’s just get you home.

*IdontknowIdontknowIdontknowIdontknow.*

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It's ok, it's ok, you don't have to know right now... We'll just sit here..

*Merlot's own breath is starting to pick back up again, just a little. He's keeping it under control so as to not freak her out further, but fuck. Is she dying? What if she just keeps going until she doesn't exist anymore? Or is this just normal for her, sort of like it was for-*

.....What if I just, talk about something, huh?.. You wanna hear more about where I come from?... give you something else to focus on..

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*Mhm, yes, please. That’d be nice.*

At the very least, she wasn’t melting anymore and she didn’t seem to notice his own panic. If she did, it didn’t cause any reaction.

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....The city I come from, Sulffergette, it rains a whole lot. Probably more than what's... normal, I guess. You're real lucky to get 3 dry days in a row, 5 is wild. Never once saw a complete week without it pouring. Not in 80 fuckin' years. So this... Sittin' on a roof talking, drenched in the rain, it's almost nostalgic. Homelike. 'Cept this time I'm also talkin' to the rain, heh..

...And the city sits down in a fuckin'.. bowl thing in the land. So, we've got this big drainage system to keep the place from flooding. It's like a labyrinth of huge fucking pipes down below the streets. And at some point... people started living down there. Building walkways and docks and shit. Sort of an undercity now. There's... a certain charm to both.

*Merlot's tone noticeably starts to shift the more he talks about his home. Worry and apprehension fade in the face of fondness and pride. There's a definite sparkle returning to his eyes.*

Up above, everything's dark alleys and neon lights. There's color everywhere. Reflected off the full glass windows, in the layer of water that nearly always covers the ground. Even the wet fuckin' trash looks pretty at night when it catches pieces of the stars and the street signs. And then there's the street art. You pass an old brick building or go down to the warehouses, someone'll have tagged it with graffiti, or hand painted some kinda mural. It's... beautiful.

Below is a lot different. It's where people go to get away from other people, or do some things... on the shadier side. There's a black market. A band of necromancers. Been waiting on those fuckers to bring me back, but at this point I don't think they're- Ugh, anyways. The undercity's more... bland and grungy compared to above, but I still like it. You take a boat down the right drainage tunnel, and you'll find some fuckin' guy who won't hold a damn second of conversation to save his life, but will trade you the best fried mushrooms you ever had.

....I really miss it.

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As she listened, her breathing gradually began to slow. Her color, once dark grey and melting, formed into a more solid, light grey cloud. Where there once was worried thoughts was replaced by her images.

With her imagination came mini clouds that split from her body that were shaped to be what he described: Pipes and trash and graffiti colored into buildings. The colors were like watercolor, likely not as vibrant as what he had described, but they got the point across. Mini sculpted people roamed the streets, only becoming more detailed as she calmed down.

*I’d wanna go there too…maybe we could in the future…?*

Kiki, you won’t be able to…

*…*

She began to melt slightly once more.

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*He marvels at the mini clouds and the pictures they form, an actual grin starts to form on his face, and a laugh starts to build in his throat, but both are cut off at the narrator's words. He glares up at the sky.*

Hey, shut the fuck up!

*Then he looks back down at Kiki, his gentle tone of voice returning right away.*

Ignore that shit. I'll find some way to show it to you, I learned a LONG time ago there's no such fuckin' thing as "impossible."

First thing you should see in Sulffergette is the view from a 50th floor high rise. You get high up enough, the streets look like a galaxy. And then we can go down and get ramen.

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Kiki giggled for a second, color lightening once more. A cloud booped Merlot’s nose before fading into nothing.

*Be nice! I know I won’t actually be able to leave. I just like to dream sometimes. Maybe, I could try to recreate it later.*

She sighed and began detailing the sculpture once more.

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Yeah well, a certain someone should be nice about your dreams, then...

I meant what I said though. Nothin's impossible.

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Merlot, as much as I appreciate your intent, you’re doing more harm than good. For her and I, we both can’t leave our own universe other than for the sake of tasks. Both of us are very limited. That’s not me being rude, just me being realistic. False hope hurts.

…Kiki’s color began to darken and sculpture began to lose detail once more…Kiki, Im not trying to hurt you…we both know this.

*I know…*

She moves closer to you.

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*He looks up again, hugging Kiki a little tighter.*

Is it a "you fall apart if you're outside of your dimension for too long" sorta thing, or is it a "I need to shoot god" sorta thing? Because I'll fuckin' do it.

*He's dead (badum-tss) serious. This man WILL shoot god or whatever equivalent in the face for both of you.*

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*Its boss…please don’t do anything…*

The powder continued to hit your back but Kiki’s tears dripping from the cloud like rain only added to the moisture. She shook her head and let out a tiny whine of distress, sounding much like wind.

But no, you shouldn’t. There won’t be much success there. This is the way it’s been since ewe were both born.

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