So i was rereading the new age masterpost (as i tend to do lmao)
And i had the thought because... dustedafterdeath? In a real real real rough spot.
I think after fresh returns to his brothers. It starts the like... slightly hostile neutral period (it isnt dust who is hostile. The other knights are)
But there is this kinda peace and neutral air and things are getting a little better. Geno is at least allowed in the same general area is dust again and reaper and dust had a short conversation.
Which is nice. But i like drama and was wondering how interesting it would be to have this moment. Before they truly make up but after the most hostile moment. So many feelings but no one daring to speak about it, but still very obviously there and it does colour every interaction.
So. Of course. I figured it would be fun to lock them in an enclosed space together.
Why? Well... you said how reaper's land has large mountains ans stuff?
What if some people are like trying to set up like a drugs ring? Like magical drugs or maybe even like slave colours or soemthing?
It is a threat but the mountains are an amazing defence for a reason. They are very hard to navigate and large.
The best way to navigate them? By horse :3
But you need to be a damn good rider.
And then you have dust. You know. Ex-crime lord who knows traffic rings and the politics around it. Who is a knight and trained with survival skills. And who is The Horse whisperer.
And everyone is aware of this so everyone knows the correct way to go about this problem. But well. Magical drugs/collars/tools? Geno is very much the expert on that...
As you can imagine. There is some tension lmao
It is. Early enough in the morning that I have time to answer this. And. I will be thinking about it. SO much.
I love the idea of after Fresh finally returns, they have this weird uneasy peace (shout out to our Knights! They're the protective brothers Dust needs!) And it's like... a really really slow period of re-intigration. And then there's news. Those drugs (I like the idea that because the one Dust was in collapsed, those who escaped moved off to a new location, and surviving supplies were moved slowly but surely to the border mountains of Reaper's kingdom to hide there abd develop more. Distribute there in paradise to the truly wealthy.) and collars and dangerous magic tools? They're getting distributed there now. At Reaper's kingdom.
It IS a threat, one which stemmed from Night's work dismantling the branch in his kingdom. Reaper doesn't want to risk sending troops into the mountain for the reason you gave, it's dangerous by foot, but also dangerous for those unexperienced with horses. Nightmare wants to help him, as per their treaty he said he was willing to lend any reasonable aid to him should there be a threat to his land. But... Dust is his resident crime/horse expert!!! He doesn't want to send him out there alone, but the others aren't quite as good with horses, and more people going would place them in more danger trying to be efficient in the dismantling.
And, of course, Geno is the one who deciphered what all of these drugs and items did anyhow. He recognized the magic composition and the intent and spells woven in. It's amiture magic amplified by a different, stronger source. Everything is highly dangerous, and sone of the drugs abd the collar coukd degrade a monster's soul with too much contact or prolonged use. He needs to be at the place where they're made to destroy or seal off that source somehow so no one can use it like that again.
And ofc Reaper has a kingdom to run. Troops to manage as they hunt down anyone in the city trying to spread this stuff! He and Nightmare are probably discussing this in person (he can't just ask Night over letter to send the Knight Geno was harassing over to their kingdom. Alone!) I like to think in the War Room since they have a lot of map space in there. And they both know exactly what *should* be done. The most efficient and direct route to an easy solve. Reaper knows from his countless years as a general. Nightmare knows because he's seen his men and no one could handle this as easily as those two. But neither of them say it for a while. Nightmare mentions that Dust is an expert regarding crime rings. Reaper explains what Geno found about the items that were turned over to them. And there I'd a little pause where they both know they've come to the same conclusion about how best to solve this. The safest way to do so, but... damn they don't want to.
I think it's finally admitted by Nightmare that to get anywhere they'd need Dust's riding prowess, and that a smaller group would be best. Reaper then admits that Geno would be the best to send up to finish off the threat. No one else they could trust enough to go up and find a power source and seal it away. Understand it's origins and functions. Magic-wise they'd be fine. Dust is strong, and knowing him he could probably talk their way right into the heart of the operation to obliterate it first. They are, theoretically, the only smart team to do the mission.
They resign to talk to their respective parties, and reconvene the next day.
Dust takes it decently well, all things considered. When Nightmare explains the mission to him, he agrees he's the Only choice of the Knights to take it on. No one could even get a horse up those mountains, let alone find a hidden base. When Night brings up his partner would be Geno for the mission there's a moment of hesitation. But, Dust notoriously doesn't care about his own wellbeing, so..... He agrees. Just him and Geno sounds awful, it makes him jumpy just thinking about it, but... it's work. It's for the treaty. So long as Geno stays like he has been, they'll get through it and then keep distance for a bit again. ...at least, that's what he hopes. Nightmare sees how fast Dust agrees and tells him he does NOT have to go. If he's uncomfortable, that is a reasonable purpose for not letting him go. But... who would go in his place? Killer was good with the crime rings, but he's kinda shitty at horse riding. Horror's good with animals but he needs a stocky horse and it might not take mountain passes well. Cross? They are NOT sending Cross out alone with Geno, they'd have a missing Mage on their hands. It has to be him . And he's fine with that (or, he can at least say he is).
Meanwhile Reaper returns to Geno and Geno's mostly just nervous because!!! What does he mean Dust's their crime expert? He knew about the horses but like, why can't they have a third? To make Dust more comfortable, to keep him in line? What if he says something stupid and invasive and Dust hates him even more? What if he screws up worse? Reaper helppppp. And. Yeah, they're not happy about it, but the show must go on!
And dude.... I like to think the trip itself is wild (Nightmare only tells the other Knights of Dust's mission after he's already left. I'm debating whether Night would send some guards or Horror along with them to recieve Dust and travel back with him when the mission was done.) as in. It takes almost 3 days horseback to get high enough on the mountain range to find the spot where the crime ring is re-establishing itself. It's out of the way, but Dust figures they're using old mining shafts to get up and down a lot easier. Y'know what multiple days of riding means??? Camping!!! (I think for proper tension they probably need to be up there a few days, if not a week or so lmao- just enough time to worry anyone not up there with them-)
Geno's horse is a bit sturdier, so it's the one carrying a lot of their food supplies. They packed a tent and some other supplies too. Dust is good about guiding their horses, and it's an eerily silent climb for the whole first day. The only time they seem to talk is when Dust let's Geno know they need to stop to let the horses drink from a little stream/waterfall or graze a bit. And then they find a good spot to stop just before nightfall and set up. Dust sets up almost everything the first night, aside from the fire (Geno uses a spell that won't make smoke). And then they rest. They stay on opposite sides of the tent, and Geno's pretty sure Dust didn't actually sleep that first night.
It's an agonizing routine for Geno, and by the middle of the 2nd day, he decides he's going to start asking about the mission. Just to heard something aside from nature. He can only make so many crystal structures to fidget and pass the time. Dust is tense about it but answers when Geno asks him questions. Geno's curious, and he's trying to get better at remembering and listening to what Dust says, but he's not tactful. Eventually he's accidentally trying to pry into Dust's past with the crime ring and why he joined. Dust clams up at that, and Geno has to quickly apologize because it's not for the mission, he was just being nosy- That night at camp is less quiet, and Dust still sets stuff up on his own while Geno chills out and thinks about nothing and everything.
On the third day Dust starts talking business and what the plan should be. It's a lot like back at the start, when he'd talk Killer through how they'd infiltrate and destroy each base. Only, Geno wasn't a fighter. As far as he'd been told. Geno just listened to him, afraid of crossing boundaries by trying to encroach on his skills and knowledge. Almost the entire day is them brainstorming and planning. And then there's the base. Which, honestly, isn't nearly as hard to take down as Dust expected. They were given permission by Reaper to just... play Judge jury and executioner. The mountains were technically still in his land, and Reaper had the power to give others authority in his stead. In this case, Dust and Geno. They weren't very merciful. Though, anyone who fled to the mountains would probably die on their own anyways. Geno finds that power source and the big supply and atomically deconstruct pretty much all the items. (I like to think they were hidden in a cave, so Geno's magic just covered the cavern in crystal formations.) And then Geno seals off that source by placing a sort of geode (dampener) around it. It should obscure it from all normal senses for a long time.
And then they head back and (sorry I'm losing steam lol- this whole thing I imagine is a lot more hesitant/aggressive than I'm writing it lol-) I think they get down safely. (Maybe for a touch of drama something happens to the mountain itself on their way down and they have to pull a teamwork to survive <3 like, maybe a rockslide. Dust's busy calming the horses, and Geno actually manages to cast a shield spell around them before rocks obliterate them-)
They get back safe, and visibly it seems like nothing between them has changed because Dust still evacuates Geno's vicinity as soon as he can, and Geno still seems subdued, but! Separately the trip let them get a better understanding of eachother. Geno wasn't pushing about Dust's magic (didn't even mention it-) and Dust got to see that Geno is really truly skilled at what he does, abd it made him both better and worse to see Geno obsess over the magic on the mountain in an all-too familiar way.
(When Dust gets back, Cross is going to crush him in a hug because ??? What were you thinking ??? You idiot skeleton ???)
Can you imagine being Barbatos, grieving over your friend while trying to get the people your friend died for to trust you? Then you hear something. Two glows in the distance. You hear his songs. You want this to be true so badly. Its your best friend...? Right?
Perhaps you finnaly snapped. Perhaps you were always like Decabarian. In time you too will ensnare Mondstadt. Can you really trust yourself with this job? The singing wont stop. The music will not stop. Time never stops. Yet he is. Frozen in place, and so is the wind around him. A couple citizens nervously freeze at the sight of their god being a statue. The charade has finally dropped, hasn't it?
Then they hear it too. The distant laughter of someone that has long since left this plane. Its him? He's here?
No this must be a-
...
Before anyone could comprehend the sounds of their leader being back, the echoing demands for Ventus to be quiet fill the town square. For right besides their dearest leader is Him
That's
Holy shit I literally teared up
Just the thought of "please let it be my friend i miss him and his songs please" is SO
And the fear of turning out like Decarabian like I'M SURE THATS SO REAL FOR VENTI LIKE
Your art is so fucking gorgeous I think I'm gonna buy and read hard to be a god. Now I wanna know how many people read this book because of you sksksks
AAAHHHHHH my friend I'm so flattered! *covers face*
You have no idea how happy it makes me hear that the art has you interested in reading it (it’s not like it’s my evil master plan all along or anything).
It's not a long read (less than 200 pages), so if earth scientists from the future playing dress up on a medieval alien planet pretending to be part of the local nobility, philosophical and ethical debates ensuing on how and when they should help the people of said planet sounds interesting to you, then I’d say go for it!
I describe it a bit more in this ask I sent recommending it some weeks ago
Just a lil fun fact since I know you like disco elysium: the authors of the book are a big inspiration for the devs.
Also, this isn't plot relevant or anything, and not to hype you up but a cute detail you might enjoy is that zephonim are canon in this. There are huge vampiric spiders that drink horses' blood and suck them dry.
Now I wanna know how many people read this book because of you sksksk
You know, it’s about a handful I think hehe... for now... I must have other suffer as I did
🧍"I headcanon Kris to be afab nb" shut the fuck up??????????? They are just nb why do we have to being agab into this??? You don't need an explanation on giving 4y/o Kris a skirt dude
