deercountry | [Open] Keep it locked up, keep it sealed tight

Entry tags:

[Open] Keep it locked up, keep it sealed tight

Who: Varian and YOU!
What: Varian's final corrupted days, his beasthood turn and the aftermath. See his corruption/monster page HERE!
When: First 2 weeks of Jan- before the event.
Where: Around the city!

Content Warnings: Applicable content warnings go here. Mentions of death, corruption, dissociation.

Hope you've stocked up - Last days of corruption

Anyone who's close to Varian will have noticed his slow corruption growth over the last two months. By the time January rolls around, things have gotten worse instead of better. By now his skin is made of a thick, black rock. This same black rock has turned his teeth into sharp fangs and his nails into claws. two amber horns sprout out from his head, and his elbows and one remaining ankle have spurs of the same stuff- as is the tail he's since gotten, flicking nervously as he paces around- firey red eyes darting around furtively.

He'd largely been keeping himself out of sight, trying to handle this alone, but his hallucinations have driven him onwards. He stares at things seemingly only he can see. If he comes across you, he'll grip your arm tightly (sorry if those claws hurt, he's not even thinking about it). He points at an empty spot of nothing, worry on his face.

"Eugene!" you are definitely not Eugene, but it's clear that's who he's seeing right now. "We- we gotta deal with these rocks before they take over everything! There's...there's got to be a cavern around here somewhere so we can cut them off, right?"

It's a long night - Monsterdom (Gaze and surrounding area)

Regardless of how much or how little help he gets in his final days of corruption, eventually, Fern decides enough is enough and the best way to handle this is to Fistfight God. Which is to say, he goes off to confront The Tower about this and gets himself killed by Never Mind in the process. Varian got there too late, and being the driving reason behind his boyfriend dying again was the final nail in the coffin for him.

The transformation is quick and sharp, and what's left is a a ten-foot rock monster spewing fire everywhere. His leg is still missing in this form, at least, which should help anyone with a quick ID-check. Varian himself rages through the city, slamming against buildings and breathing fire at anyone foolish enough to come close. It's definitely attracting the attention of nearby hunters- so perhaps finding a way to talk him back down before there's another death today would be for the best?

Nothing good is meant to stay - Aftermath

Eventually, Varian lets his friends in, lets them talk him down and the best hood fades. Parts of corruption still cling to him- his skin is still an unhealthy grey colour and his nails aren't quite back to normal yet. He's also sitting in a ball on the floor- partly out of shock and partly because he can't go anywhere without his leg - if someone could fetch him that, that would be awesome.

Or perhaps you come to him in the days that follow. He mostly stays near the Disaster House in Cassandra, as he waits for Fern to come back to life. He can be found inside the house, or sometimes sitting on the front porch, people-watching. Though he's certainly not better yet, day by day the signs of corruption lessen. Any visitors will get a tired smile, he's still a little withdrawn, but he's getting there.

"H-hey, thanks for checking in," nothing has changed how awkward he is at least! "Um...how are you doing?"

Because obviously, you're here for him to check up on you. Obviously.

[[OOC: The monster battle is intended to be open to any CR who want to take part. No ONE character will be responsible for talking him down from monsterdom, it is intended to be a team effort- hammering home that Varian is able to rely on his support network. Feel free to make separate threads, team up with other players, thread hop, etc. Do what you like, and we can wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey it so it happened around the same time- to make it easier than players trying to keep to one concurrent thread! Go nuts! As always please hit me up on

teeeff for anything! ]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Trust me, I've seen spoiled. And you could not be farther from it." Although, as a courtier, she had a feeling he knew exactly what she was talking about. Private chefs and servants who were there only to pamper noble feet. That was spoiled.

Ariadne was just trying to be the very best friend she could be.

Which meant going nowhere near his kitchen, among other things.

She sat down beside him on the bed, folding back the covers so they wouldn't cut across his skin. "Which, of course, doesn't mean that I couldn't get you some chocolate, if you asked really nicely."

He really did know what she means- though Rapunzel is far from the sort of royal to allow such pampering, he's certainly seen such behaviour from other sovereigns. People who used their servants for whatever whim that came into their head at the time. Rude.

"Okay, I guess you've got a point there," maybe, a little bit. "And I wouldn't say no to chocolate. You-you know, if it was going wanting."

He's not really used to feeling like he deserves such nice treatment, but he's trying to push against it as much.

Aunt Lysia used to give Ariadne chocolate when she was feeling ill. It didn't happen very often, because chocolate was even rarer in Valeria than it was in Trench. Still, those were some of her fondest memories. Gentle reminders of the fact that even though Lysia wasn't her blood, she was her kin.

So Ariadne didn't even hesitate to stand up again, going over to her bottomless bag, which she was leaving near the door for just such needs to arise. She knelt down beside it, digging in elbow deep and groping around until she located the small bag of chocolates.

"A long time ago," she said, returning to the bed, "some Elves used to believe that chocolate had medicinal powers. Mostly because it was rare and exotic to them. They figured anything they couldn't grow for themselves had to be magic." Which went to demonstrate their superior attitude about everything. She opened the bag, holding it out to him. "I just think when something tastes this good, it calms you down. Like a warm hug."

He'll shift a little from his comfortable perch to peer at her as she rummages around in her bag- but at least she can take his curiosity as a good sign. That things are slowly moving into something slightly more normal. Once she returns, he sits up, taking the chocolate from her.

"Hah. Thanks," he's just gonna get to opening it up, don't mind him. "Sounds like they thought really highly of themselves, but given everything else you've told me about your home, I'm not surprised by that at all."

He chews on the chocolate humming softly.

"This is really good."

Even if she had nothing to do with the manufacture of the chocolate, she bowed her head, pleased more at the improvement in Varian's mood than the actual compliment. "Yes," she said. "The Elves were...are...a little bit snooty. But they do have some reason for it. They built one of the most beautiful civilizations in the realm. Sometimes, I wish I had photographs. So I could show it to you."

Show it to anyone, of course. But Varian was from a world like her own. So it would probably mean more, somehow.

But at least she could paint photographs with her words. When the moment was right.

She took a piece of chocolate for herself, popping it in her mouth. "Beautiful. But no chocolate." She grinned.

The fact she thought to bring to him it is more than enough. He's definitely in need of some serious pick-me-ups right now and the chocolate, simple as it is, does him wonders.

"Well, there's making pretty things and then being pretty people personally, you know. Like, that's what matters most, I think. But hey, you never know, you might get the chance to show me sometime, this world's pretty good for creating opportunities like that."

Be they memory sharing or actual items from home washing up on the shore. He lets out a little chuckle.

"Well, it's hard to beat chocolate," truly, it is, then his smile fades a little. "Have you checked out the town? Are...things being rebuilt okay?"

She reached over, putting both hands on his elbow. It was certainly an indication of how much time she'd lived among Humans. She was beginning to be far less careful about her hands. Less precious. Which, she supposed, was a good thing. It meant trust. It meant love.

"The town is fine," she said. "Don't worry about it."

They were already remarkably good at recovering from disaster. And though she didn't think it right to say so, Varian would never be the worst Trench had to deal with.

"And speaking of building things, did you know that they're call me an 'Architect' now? I've never built anything in my life, except a few animal traps. But they say my orchard makes me one."

Deflect, deflect, deflect...

The touch is pretty welcoming and offers no small amount of comfort. Regardless, he still has to force a smile, a little weak, a lot worried. He knows the people of Trench are good at rebuilding, they have to be- but it still reminds him of the destruction he caused back home. They had to relocate his entire village in no small part to what he did.

"Kind of hard not to worry about it when I set a good chunk of a district on fire and destroyed a bunch of buildings."

He still feels guilty he's not felt up to the task of helping repair. Still, he can catch her deflection and move with it.

"I get called that for my alchemy," he says. "Fern gets it with the weapons he creates too. If you're good with your hands, boom, you're an architect."

She was reasonably sure her plan to distract him wasn't entirely effective, but at least he was following the subject change. It was a good start. She knew Varian. She knew how clever he was, how intelligent, how passionate. If she could just keep him talking about something else, maybe he could let go of his misery.

At least for a little while.

Still holding his elbow, she gave him a sweet smile. "You really have to tell me more about alchemy. I never studied it. They didn't teach anything scientific at the mission school where I learned to read and write. Most of the students were Elves, so the teachers were all much more interested in teaching magic."

Which was something of a let-down for her. While her classmates practiced their basic spells, Ariadne was always stuck sitting to one side, copying lines.

At least that meant her handwriting was beautiful.

She wouldn't be wrong there. Sometimes, all Varian really needed was a distraction to pull him off course of whatever bad thought track he was on at the time. Usually, his inventions were good for that, but right now, as he's recovering, that's less of an option.

But talking about his craft is always welcome- teaching it doubly so- and he does brighten.

"Oh, sure! I can teach you just about anything you want to know about it. It's definitely more exciting than magic," he'll stand by that opinion forever!! "Once I'm up on my feet again, I can show you around the lab- show you all kinds of cool things."

Let him teach you all the science, Airy!!!! You won't have to copy any boring lines!

Despite it all being a ploy, Ariadne's curiosity immediately perked up. She liked learning new things. It was sometimes hard to find the opportunity. But one was presenting itself to her right now. She would hardly refuse.

"Let me ask you something," she said thoughtfully, leaning back, propped up on her palms. "What made you interested in alchemy in the first place? Was there something specific you wanted to do or learn?"

Because, honestly, that felt like a good starting point to her.

She...didn't exactly know the extent of alchemy.

Ah. That question. He rubs the back of his neck.

"Oh, well. My mom was really into it. I- um. I don't remember her? She died when I was a baby," or rather, she left and they were told she was died. "She left all her lab stuff behind and I guess I just kinda...fell into it. "

As a way to connect to a mother he never knew, perhaps, but it turned out he was really good at it. He chuckles softly.

"I think Dad would have preferred if I just stuck to farming, honestly."

"You are not a farmer, Varian," she said. Which wasn't to say she didn't have extraordinary respect for farmers. She did. And a part of her thought it would be a wonderful life to make. But the thing about farming was that it was a job that was somewhat repetitive in nature. Tasks followed the seasons. And the seasons cycled over and over again.

That wasn't Varian. Varian was too creative, too energetic. Spontaneous. Brilliant. Being stuck in a routine would be confining for him.

He would suffer under that kind of constraint.

"I'm sorry about your mother, though," she added, gentler, but not in a pitying sort of way. "It's hard to lose a parent."

Or two, in her case.

"Hah, no, I'm not. I mean...I grew up on a farm, I know how to farm," but knowing and actually wanting to do it are two extremely different things. "It was always...Dad's thing, I guess. He's the leader of our farming village. He wanted that life."

After giving so much of his life in service to the Dark Kingdom, to protecting the world from the literal darkness...well, he can't blame his dad for wanting something more sedate. But she's correct, that's not the life he can lead. It's far, far too sedentary for him.

"I guess? It's hard to miss someone you never knew."

It's a strange feeling instead. Perhaps he misses the potential of knowing her. He's not sure.

"Not as hard as you think," she said. "I've seen it happen more than you would think."

She sat up straight, pulling her feet up into the lotus position, resting her hands on her ankles. "One of the strange things about being a servant in a court is that you see a lot of things. Even though no one sees you. By design. You're not supposed to be seen. But it means...I know how easy it is to miss the idea of someone."

It happened. It happened all the time.

He sits back considering that, letting out a thoughtful hum. She's got a very good point, really. As much as he says he doesn't miss her- that he can't miss her because he never actually knew her - he knows he still does. There was still an abesence in his life, growing up.

"Hmmm, I guess you have a better way of looking at that than most people. Like...an actual insight," he raises his shoulders in a shrug. "I guess I sometimes wonder if my life would have been different if she was there. If...having her there meant I didn't make a complete mess of my existence."

"Varian! Your existence is not a mess." She gave his shoulder a playful shove, with all of the strength of a wet noodle. But enough was enough! She didn't want anyone talking that way about her friend. Especially her friend. "You've just taken a rockier path. A lot of people do. And so many of them find it rewarding, in the end. I think because they come to know themselves, a lot more than those who follow the easier path."

Which was about as far as she got with metaphors.

She dropped her hands on her heels again. "But...I know what it's like to wonder. And I don't think it's a bad thing. Just don't let it drive your every waking moment, or you'll forget about the life you are living."

Bless her and her wet noodle shove, it would be funny if the subject matter wasn't so serious. He raises his hands in faux surrender.

"Okay, okay, maybe not quite so bad as a mess," though it sure feels that way sometimes. "And that's true. I definitely got to know myself a lot better. Not a lot of good stuff, but...a lot of stuff all the same.

He learned how far he could go, and where his moral lines in the sand lie. He supposed that's probably...important. Knowing that. To be pressed that far.

"I try not to. Despite...everything, I'm happy with the life I got now. Or...a close approximation of happiness anyway," he offers her a little smile. "I have friends and family here who matter a lot to me."

That includes her, in case she's not picking that up.

"Well," she said, "if you have friends and family here...that doesn't sound like an approximation of happiness. That sounds like, you know, happiness." She shrugged one shoulder, her braid falling off of her shoulder. "I mean, I know it's hard to imagine that we can have happiness, after all the scary stuff that happened in Deerington but...it seems possible to me."

He gave her faith. If only she'd known him sooner, somehow, Deerington wouldn't have been so bad.

Any sparkle of optimism she could find was always precious. Like pearls she collected on a string.

"But that's just my way of looking that things."

"Yeah, you've got a point. It's definitely happiness, even when everything goes wrong or this place messes with our memories or...whatever," because Trench was just as good at that as Deerington was. "But you're right. The fact we can find happiness after all that... it's not insignificant."

Not by a country mile. Varian wasn't prone to optimism, but the people here...they helped.

"It's...not a bad way of looking at it, honestly."

She gave him another wet noodle slap to the shoulder. "That's what I'm here for, Varian. To find the best possible way of looking at something. So, if you ever start to feel kind of sad again, I want you to immediately come to me, and I'll find a way to make you smile again."

And she meant it too. Both because he was her friend, and because the multiverse needed a little optimism. Which she was more than happy to illuminate.

"Which," she continued cautiously, "I hope makes me one of those friends we just talked about. Okay?"

"Ow, hey hey, healing person, enough with the slapping!" his tone is definitely joking, they are truly the wettest, noodle-y slaps. "And I will, trust me, lesson learned on that one."

Oh, and that last comment just makes a soft, genuine smile cross his features. Okay, Airy, you're gonna get yourself a heckin' hug for that.

"Of course you are. No question."

She'd come to take care of him. But instead, he was making her feel better. It probably wasn't fair, but Ariadne was hard-pressed to feel guilty. Especially when it felt like her heart was glowing just a little bit.

Content, she leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes for just a moment.

"No question."

That's the sneaky tricksiness that comes with friendship with Varian. Sometimes, he'll just pull a reverse Uno on you and make you feel better about yourself somehow. He doesn't seem to mind her resting her head on his shoulder- quite the opposite in fact, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"Good. Glad we got that ironed out."

It was inevitable. Probably. A great and perfect and wonderful moment like that couldn't last forever. Especially not for someone with Ariadne's linguistic mind.

"Ironed?" she said.

Because, of course, she didn't know that figure of speech.

And was suddenly trying to figure out what, in the bedroom, was made out of iron and had somehow contributed to their conversation.

[Open] Keep it locked up, keep it sealed tight

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)