deercountry | My blind optimism to blame

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My blind optimism to blame

APRIL 2022 EVENT

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: A large green butterfly.]
[Image Two: A woman staring in a daze at light orbs floating around her face.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: A volcano with meteors falling down around it.]
[Image Two: A ball of quivering light hovering in the dark with woman standing in front.]

Prompt Three
[Image One: A woman staring at a mirror-like humanoid being staring back at her.]
[Image Two: A woman in a field of grass with humanoid-shaped flower sculptures nearby.]

[NAVIGATION]

Prompt 1 • Prompt 2 • Prompt 3 • Plotting • Newsletter

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

MIGRATION OF MOONLIT BUTTERFLIES

WHEN: April
WHERE: Everywhere outside
CONTENT WARNINGS: Hopelessness/corruption, heavy themes of mental trauma/health, killing of gentle creatures.

Excerpt from BEASTS OF DEER COUNTRY Chapter 12: Migrations:

"One of the most beautiful natural phenomena of Deer Country is the migration of the mysterious Moonlit Butterflies. These giant creatures are most often the size of a house, with exceptional wingspans. Fear not: they are not violent creatures. Most will fly well above the city of Trench, leaving trails of glittering orbs of light that fall all throughout the city. However, it is common for some Moonlit Butterflies to land and rest throughout Trench. Despite their massive size, these creatures appear to weigh very little, able to rest harmlessly on homes, lampposts, and the like. Don't be surprised to find some scattered throughout your neighborhood.

They have a gentle aura about them and are most famous for their behemoth wings which glow a radiant green. They are aptly named due to their ability to store immense power from the moon during April and are seen as distant children of Argonaut. Being near them will enchant the air with the scent of amber and fresh linen, and you may hear a soothing song emit from these beasts.

Despite their rare and incredible beauty, it is wise to not linger in their presence no matter how captivating they are...And they are captivating. Many residents of Trench have been known to stop and stare, enthralled by the wings or the orbs of light that are shed by the butterflies. Those who have been staring for too long will have an unnatural glowing green glaze over their eyes, obscuring their pupil and gaze. This is known as the Moonlit Drain.

These butterflies do not gather all of their energy from moonlight...but they gather it from hopeful beings as well. It is why they gather among populations of sentient beings. They soak up all hope in the area and the longer you stand in their presence, the more hopeless you may become. Standing in the presence of a Moonlit Butterfly has driven people to rapid, severe corruption in under ten minutes. It is best to avoid these butterflies no matter how mesmerizing they may be to look at.

The little orbs of light are actual manifestation of everyone's hope. Touching them may restore hope and they can be gathered into jars for future treatments of corruption. They do not "go bad" as they are the essence of emotion. One way to restore hope to a corrupt or beast-ridden soul is to slay one of the Moonlit Butterflies. They are incredibly easy to kill as they are naturally delicate and non-hostile.

Be warned: the one who slays a Moonlit Butterfly will be consumed with instantaneous corruption and possibly even beasthood. But once the butterfly has been slain, anyone in the surrounding area besides the killer will have corruption alleviated. Killing a Moonlit Butterfly has been known to fill people with incredible grief and guilt. Few have survived."

WONDERKIND

WHEN: April
WHERE: Everywhere outside
CONTENT WARNINGS: Possible spoilers per canon, time/vortex style presence, variety of possible monsters.

Excerpt from an essay titled "The Wonderkind Pthumerian" from the book The Curious Nature of the Weakest Pthumerian: Argonaut and Misconceptions:

"Most of the other Patron Pthumerians are known for exceptional strength and durability during trying times. It is only Argonaut in which people think of weakness. They believe the Patron to be a fickle, tiny thing with little worth, but there is a unique and powerful quality to Argonaut that should not be overlooked.

This is the phenomenon known as Wonderkind. It has only been known to happen once every few years and only ever during April, but those who have seen it would testify to the hidden strengths of our explorer Patron. There is much to be said about curiosity and resilience, after all. Argonaut has wandered through the lives of many without most ever realizing it. He has likely seen into your own life, curious about the odd Sleepers that show up on the shores of this world.

Wonderkind appears as a meteor shower, but these are no meteors. Balls of flaming light will fall from the sky, silent, beautiful, striking, and somewhat ominous and terrifying. They rain upon Trench in intervals throughout April. They do not crash into the city so much as glide throughout. These balls of light are shimmering orbs that have split open time and space itself into unraveling cocoons, exposing portals into worlds foreign to this one.

These portals cannot be entered for they are not portals out of this world...But portals into this world. Sleepers have claimed to find beloved items and pull them out of these portals. Some may find old pets that come out to greet them. It can be a lucky and cherished event for many. Tragically, these portals do not seem to be able to bring in sentient beings ~~applicable characters~~, but you may be able to talk briefly to a loved one who isn't yet in this world.

But that's not all that can crawl through these portals...Monsters from other worlds have been known to flock to these portals and make their way through. Monsters from your worlds or other worlds slip in to wreak havoc on the streets of Trench. It is during this time that it is of the utmost importance that our Hunters take up arms and protect the vulnerable. If you recognize the monsters or disasters from your world entering ours, then please, make sure to caution those against it.

The portals close after a few hours and cannot be manually closed by anyone. Nothing can be sent into portals, but one can stand by a portal and guard it for potential dangers. Portals from your world may reappear several times throughout the month, so don't let your guard down for even a moment, and always expect the worst even when hoping for the best."

Quick Facts:

1. Respect the setting. Do not bring in monsters that would be capable of destroying the world/city/etc.

2. Things like unique plants/items can be gained through these portals.

3. You do not need to engage with portals from your own canon. You can invent new worlds, engage with other canons, or alternate universes. It's up to you.

FROM WITHIN AND WITHOUT

WHEN: April
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Instant beasthood, corruption of soul, draining of soul, replication of soul, mistreatment of sex workers/night walkers.

An excerpt from a journal kept by a Night Walker named Charlotte Finch. Finch was known for being one of the first established Night Walkers and was known for her advocacy on the front of Night Walker work and its relationship to beasthood. This journal is kept in the Archives. It contains content pertinent to Beasthood yet, unfortunately, due to ongoing biases against Night Walkers, this journal is kept in the autobiography section rather than the section for beasthood. Good luck finding it.

"the job of the Night Walker is, of course, undervalued by this world. we do our best to soothe the troubled souls of this place and yet they continue to doubt our worth. what must we do to convince them? must we wield blades to show them how we fight? must we shed blood to prove our dedication? must we pick up books to show our intelligence? nei, we not do that. we sleep beside our worn hunters and rest heads upon the chests of scholars and hold the tired hands of architects. we guide the way to light in a way disciples could never.

all us are valuable, it be true, but why must the night walker be left to the wayside? why must our duties be written off? why must it be that it always a night walkers blood in the streets that leaves no tears to be shed? nei, nei, it is hatred of those who understand the soul and body have a close connection.

you know what i believe? these souls of ours change the landscape of our bodies. you cannot have one without the other. when the soul is corrupt, it only be natural that the body corrupts, turning rigid and hideous and monsterous and beastly. aye yes i have seen it myself, though none of the others believe except for other night walkers.

you see, there is a shape that comes to us in the Long Night of april, a shape much like our own. looking like a person ought to look but with no face and no features, like a mirror glimmering in the shape of you. they look like us, and they will mimic us. these odd mirror beings is the shape of our soul, you see, and once it finds you, it will copy you, and you will be driven mad! mad! how does this thing move as you move? how does it replicate what you replicate?

aye, it is your soul, my friend. your soul in a shape you can see. or something like it, may not soul be in your lexicon. it is you, as you are it. it is the Tether between you and beasthood, see what i say. the Tether will begin to soak into you if you let it, if you let it consume you, and it will consume you rapidly. people have been known to be ravaged by the Tether and turn into beasts within seconds, AYE yes, seconds, not minutes, into a vicious beast. the Tether wins.

But you need not let it be a victor, my friend. you see, we proved it, we did, us night walkers, we proved to lay with the Tether is to soothe the Tether. Allow yourself the kindness of another soul, another companion. touch and feel and express companionship. holding the hand of your lover or your friend or your brother or sister will cause the Tethers to weaken before ye very eyes! i do swear it, my friend, i should not lie on a subject i hold so dear.

you see, when we hold one another dear, when we cherish one anothr truly and wholly, we abate the darkness in our souls. listen to your companions, my sweet friends, and let your souls heal, and you can stop the Tether from consuming. you see, you see. surely you see. this is what it looks like. the Tether is always with us, but only in April under this moon can we see it always and will it be vicious and invasive. do not allow it.

do not allow it."

Quick Facts:

1. Tethers will take the exact body shape/size of you and mimic your moves. They may follow you around for several hours/days. Once they decide to "consume" you, it will be quick. It will essentially look like your body is turning metallic and then you become a beast.

While Charlotte states it happens in a matter of seconds, this can happen in several hours/days as well. Depends on the character and their general resolve.

2. People can be pulled back from this through emotional support whether verbally or physically and general acts of kindness. It's the sincerity that matters here. You do not need to be familiar with the person to help them.

3. Everyone can see each other's Tethers so you can determine how severe someone's Tether has become. The more severe the Tether, the more silvery the impacted person will look.

4. Tethers cannot be destroyed with weaponry/attacks. Trying will only hurt the person they are mimicking. You could actually kill someone by trying to "kill" their Tether. The tether will vanish with those who died but reappear once they have reincarnated.

CODING

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He frowns at that description. He's made a few connections since arriving, so he likes to think he's no longer as isolated or lonely as he was when he first arrived. Jason glances at the mimic again and it stares right back at him. Maybe it only recently appeared, which is why it's so docile right now.

"Whatever it wants, it's taking its sweet time."

Blue nods, then opens his mouth to suggest something, but...stops, seeming to second-guess himself.

Because he does.

"..."

Recent events have painted a lot of his thinking; have made it seem dangerous to be too near, to reach too far. To be himself.

"You...shouldn't be alone for a while, I think." But offering to keep him company might be wrong, won't it? He could make things worse.

Unbidden, his thoughts turn immediately to Viktor. It's all too easy to picture the man, walking cane in hand, babbling excitedly about something that Jason can't entirely follow but is happy to listen to all the same. Jason pushes the thought back as quickly as it comes.

"You're here, ain't ya?" Jason huffs.

It's a hard-to-miss flickering - a face Blue doesn't know, but the feelings behind it are familiar. His mouth twitches, and his head tilts down before his rueful smile can fully form.

"I meant...someone whose company you prefer. Trustworthy." Something he doesn't count himself as part of anymore.

Why is Trench like this? Why does it keep putting Jason in these situations? Jason doesn't want to deal with this now any more than he did when he was suffering from unexpressed desires. His mimic is interested and it inches a little closer.

"The fuck you sayin', that you don't think you're trustworthy?" He hasn't seen Blue in a while but the guy did help him out when he was drunk. And he's not bad company. Maybe not company Jason would prefer, but... nope, not going there, not thinking about it, not acknowledging it.

Blue's head lifts quickly - not from Jason's accusation, but from the feeling of the creature behind him shifting a little closer. It makes hairs on the back of his neck stand up, prompts him to step back and turn to put both Jasons in view, eyes wider and brow furrowed with concern.

Right... Despite his fear of his good intentions going ill again, he can't let Jason linger with such a thing alone, can he? Not until the mystery is solved.

"I wish I could say I was," he admits with a frown. "But this place...does have a way of skewing good intentions. All the same, this thing... I don't sense good intentions from it at all."

"No shit." Does anything that comes out of Trench have good intentions? He hasn't seen much evidence of it in the months he's lived here. The mimic hesitates, now more uncertain. Maybe it can't consume Jason after all. The kindness of Blue stepping between it and Jason is enough to make the mimic a bit weaker, at least.

Blue's brow knits, watching the mirrored figure for a beat longer.

...He can't leave Jason alone with this. Not until it's clear what could become of it. Of him.

"Where were you going?" he asks, forcing himself to look back at Jason proper. "Before I interrupted you."

"Just doin' a patrol," Jason shrugs. "Makin' sure everything's quiet before I head to the gate for self-defense lessons. I got a few students now." He pauses and looks uneasily at the mimic. "I gotta get rid of this thing first," he decides.

Understandable, Blue thinks; trying to focus on anything with something like...this...it would be as difficult as it was likely dangerous.

"Then let me accompany you," he suggests. "Let's seek out some answers. The Archive. Someone may know, or there may be an account..."

He really doesn't like the idea of having to go through books while this creepy mimic hovers nearby. But again, Blue's kindness of offering to help is making the mimic a little weaker. Jason notices this and frowns, studying the mimic for a moment.

"Yeah, I guess. Worth a shot."

"Forgive me." Blue smiles apologetically. "More...forward, aggressive means to ridding yourself of it... I'm too afraid to try. It may hurt you. I don't want that. Can you endure a little research...for just a little while?"

Jason has to admit fighting it doesn't seem like a great idea. It copies him too perfectly, and if it's a part of him then wouldn't he just get hurt too?

"Maybe we'll bore it to death," he suggests a little wryly.

Blue's eyes crinkle just a little, quietly endeared. The lion omen chuffs, nosing at Blue's dangling hand before striking ahead of them, opting to lead on as decisions were made.

After a hesitation, the Mu tilts his head.

"Will it be alright...to hold onto your arm? To get to the lantern. I don't walk well on my own."

And his omen just ditched him, see.

"I don't mind," Jason shrugs. When he and Viktor were trapped in that nightmare, he got used to the other man holding onto his arm. Jason sticks out his elbow in offering. His mimic is not going to have a meal if this keeps up.

Blue takes the offered arm with a soft-spoken thank-you after a slight hesitation, closing his eyes for a beat to adjust to how proximity opens him up to clearer images of thought and feeling. This Viktor person...is very present in Jason's mind now, compared to the one who was before.

It's a short walk to find a lamp with the telltale, transporting ghouls moaning on the ground, haloed in the light high on the post in the heavy darkness around them.

"Have you been there before?" Blue asks, slowing to a stop before the post. "To visualize it. To get there this way. If not...I can guide us."

Jason soon is aware of how prominent Viktor is in his thoughts, and he pushes it back down again. And he knows Blue has probably picked up on those thoughts, but at least the other isn't saying anything about them. Makes it easier for Jason to pretend he's not thinking or feeling these things.

"Nope. Never been there." He turns to look back at the mimic. "It's gonna follow us, isn't it?"

"It might."

For now, Blue can only assume so: its presence is so similar to Jason's in a way that isn't entirely clear to him...and investigating further on his own scares him, given the incidents that he's still recovering from himself. It may be a roundabout way to help him, but...doing this is the best Blue can manage until his courage returns - the courage to trust in his own abilities and use them for good.

He gingerly sets his unoccupied hand onto the post and closes his eyes, bringing to mind the tall, looming silhouette of the Archives he'd witnessed but a few times in his limited wandering. The tall windows, the way pieces of it curved upward and came together at narrow points... The ghouls react appropriately, and soon a thick smoke envelops them. When it dissipates, it is that very structure that looms above them in the dark, and from the lingering tendrils of smoke, the lion returns.

Blue lifts his head and opens his eyes, slowly looking back to see whether or not Jason's worry was right.

Despite his months living here, Jason still hasn't entirely gotten the hang of traveling by lantern. He prefers walking or horseback. It's slower, but also less weird. He takes a moment to absorb their new surroundings so he can remember it in case he ever needs to come back here on his own.

Sadly yes, the mimic did follow them here. It seems a little less energetic, though, its luster a little dull.

"Is it me or is that thing lookin' worse?" Jason muses out loud. Were they hurting it somehow?

Is it? Blue hesitates to answer, loosening his hold on Jason's arm so he can turn partway toward it and give it a closer look.

"It...does seem less...potent," he says. "I wonder...if it is bound to appear from...some particular location or...some sort of trigger. You only noticed it when I did." Perplexing.

He takes his hand off the pole and looks at it. "Is it...something to do with blood effects...?" There's hardly any way to know for sure without being more forward about it, was there.

That's why they're in the Archives, though: to try figuring it out. Jason can only guess based on observation. For all he knew, the mimic appeared only moments before Blue warned him about it.

"Better not test that until the last resort," Jason decides. Blood is just one of those things in Trench he knows not to mess with. The mimic is still being diligent about copying his movements despite its weaker state.

"Whatever's wrong with it, we should keep up what we're doin'." He doesn't know what exactly they're doing to make it weak, so hopefully they'll just stumble on the answer.

Maybe the true test will be when they return to where they first met up - to see if it would reinvigorate, shift... Blue breathes out a thoughtful sound before turning his focus to the building, opting to lead the both of them up the small amount of stairs and to the door.

"When I first came here..." Blue's head tilts up, drawn by the eerie shape of hanging fossils casting menacing shadows by candlelight. "I was told...that there's no index or guide to where things reside. That...intuition will guide one to the things they seek."

"I can work with that." Actually, that sounds better than trying to comb through some version of the Dewey decimal system. Jason has relied a lot on his instincts and intuition as a soldier. He sets out to start looking through the books. He grabs one, looks through a few pages, then puts it back and keeps going.

All the while his mimic is still copying him, still looking for an opening to start consuming. It could be the fact that Jason is largely ignoring its creepy way of perfectly mirroring him that he hasn't started going mad and providing that opening.

Blue watches that mimic carefully - the way it combs the spines of books trailing after Jason, picks and turns pages, puts them away...the way Blue can kind of see through it.

"Maybe it...really is the same," Blue muses, his gaze drifting between that mimic and Jason-proper. "Or similar enough to when my dear friend Kaeya...was stalked by the shadow of his loneliness. You've already suffered hazards of those emotions in your own way, too..."

Jason doesn't really need reminding of how he suffered a few months ago for his loneliness. But things have improved since then, or so he likes to think. He might not be a social butterfly, but he has gotten to know more people. He has his self-defense classes.

"I don't feel lonely anymore," Jason says out loud. "It's gotta be somethin' else."

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