❀ spinny t-pose glitch | + perne
You watch as the storybook characters play out their scripted lives, day in and day out. As though fettered, they stick to their routines; they fulfill their roles - or lack thereof. They do what must be done to keep the main beats of their storybook life going. But what happens if something new and different were to be introduced by an outside force? Will they continue on as if nothing happened? Or will they instead break? Perhaps you might be inclined to find out. [Grants Reason +1]
Most people, when faced with being sucked into a storybook out of nowhere, might be shocked, confused, or distraught about their new predicament. Considering what he experienced during the mission to the Sealed Forest in his first month here, such a situation is fairly par for the course for Saias. If anything, this seems tame compared to fighting shadowy versions of their comrades, witnessing infinite alternate realities, or even fighting ice-spitting monsters in a magical school, as Chrom related to him after his first month. There is most likely a way out of the storybook, but what that way out entails, the redhead finds himself unsure.
The… people in the village, or more accurately characters, bustle about the area performing their respective jobs. By now Saias has met several laguz in his time at the academy, so seeing each character’s animalistic features doesn’t shock him so much. What does strike him as strange, as he observes them, is the repetitiveness of their actions. Even if someone does the same job in the same way every day, there are usually differences ranging from subtle to obvious that set each day of work apart from one another. But by the fourth day, the mage can’t find any such tells in any of the villagers’ routines.
It’s like someone took a photograph, like the ones from the ball’s artifices, and duplicated it over and over, only these “photographs” are moving. Is it because this is a work of fiction and these people are not directly in the author’s spotlight? And therefore they’ve been resigned to repeating the same exact tasks over and over? The whole thing is strange and eerie, and Saias can’t help but feel incredibly alone, a single metaphorical splash of color amidst a monotonous grey background, set apart by his freedom of choice.
Except, as he walks amongst the town square’s crowd for what feels like the umpteenth time, a movement in his periphery catches his eye. Turning, the young mage spies a man with dark blue hair, one he hadn’t seen before and can’t recall being part of the story’s routine. And the fact that he lacks animal traits…! Is he from the academy too?!
“Hey! Excuse me, sir, are you with Garreg Mach Monastery?” he calls out, running towards the man. Finally, someone else who doesn’t belong here either! He can’t help the rush of hope that floods his heart as he races towards the man, questions in his throat and a smile on his lips.
HE'S GOT THEIR MOVEMENTS DOWN TO A T. Picking up on people’s habits is a little party trick of his, after all. But anyone could do it if they, like him, witnessed the same monotone scene play out for days now. He thinks it's been days, anyways— kind of hard to say when everything looks the same. Perne maintains his position in the village's center, sitting idly at a bench as he watches the same old dance and song.
There that man goes, carrying a bucket to the well. He's singing something that he doesn't think others can hear— oh, but Perne hears it. But the guy doesn't know that. He only continues singing, tail swishing to the tune. And he’ll continue singing tomorrow, too. And the day after that.
Perne shifts his gaze further to the left and spots a lady and her child. The kid's going to break away from her and chase a butterfly through the plaza crowd. She won't notice, and will go home with one hand freer than the other. Without fail. Perne wonders if the woman just tilted her head slightly, or just felt the sudden chill come upon her palm as it is emptied, or just did anything different at all, if the kid would've gone home that night. He wonders if she can do anything different at all, really— everyone he's seen so far seems awfully stuck to their routine. Day in, day out, they went through the same movements with a stiff, stubborn vigor.
It never seemed like they had a choice. And the thought of that kinda pisses him off. Freedom's something that they should always have. Besides, this sort of monotone living makes for one boring-as-hell existence— and as Perne doesn't know how much longer he'll be stuck here... well. He’s just itching to spice things up.
His eyes return to the plaza. He sees the stall vendors ring bells and cup hands over mouths as they try to sell their wares. They're hoping to gather more customers. But they won't, considering the way the day loops. He sees the same heads flow in the sea of people, hears the same footsteps and village gossip. There's that brunette, limping through the crowd as always. And that young man nicking from a stall— gods bless him. And there's that redhead that's running towards him…wait.
Perne shoots up from his bench, eyes widening as he listens to him speak. Now this is interesting. He takes a moment to take in the sight of him— now, Perne's always a fan of familiar faces, but by Heim is it a delight seeing someone whose features he hasn't memorized. What’s more: the little guy knows the monastery! Could this be the ticket to escaping this monotony? The thief shares his grin, a relieved laugh escaping smiling lips.
"Hell yeah I am!" He says brightly, "You from there too? Well, in any case, ya don't look like one of those… character people, always doin’ the same thing..."
