EVENT - Ripple and Warp IC log (part 1!)

[pluviosamods]

ripple and warp

Hello and welcome to the IC log for Pluviosa's Fourth Wall event, Ripple and Warp!

In addition to providing information about how characters arrive on the new deck (whether they're existing passengers or not), this post also serves as a place where Fourth Wall characters can post top-levels without joining the game community.

Further information on Fourth Walls in general and the other accompanying OOC updates to the game can be found on the OOC information post here. This post also serves in lieu of a regular between-events Test Drive.

Finally, you may now start sending in your applications to keep your AU, CRAU, and so on characters around after the Fourth Wall! Be sure to note the minor changes to the Applications page (namely, the addition of an "AU information" section).

Without further ado - How did you get here? And more importantly, where is 'here' anyway?

existing characters

Whether or not characters remember falling asleep on the evening of Day 37, they wake up somewhere different on Day 38, lying on a couch in an almost-familiar room. The couch is similar to the ones in the lounge, though those with keen noses will note that the cushions don't smell the same - there's no scent of your fellow passengers, or of the faint hint of an unknown, arid place that first accompanied the clean furnishings the Ship dragged out.

The room isn't one you've been in before, either, but it's still clearly on the Ship somewhere - there's the familiar motion of the legs moving, and the overhead emergency lights (the only source of light initially in the room) are the same as the ones in the hallways on Fern that the Ship has been working so hard to restore. However, that doesn't mean that it's hard to see - indeed, considering the contents of the room, the low lighting might be a blessing in disguise.

It's full of mirrors.

Not only the sorts of mirrors that character would expect to find, the ones that have been missing from the Ship's bathrooms and other expected places, though there are certainly plenty of those in the room - but the walls, the door, and the ceiling are also all mirrors. Mirrors hang on a portion of the larger furniture in what appears to be the living room of a suite. It's not as dramatic as it could be, but aside from the couch characters wake up on, it's pretty close. The floor, at least, is not reflective mirrors, though it's not much less shiny - instead of the usual hotel-esque carpet of the suites, there's seamless stone tile in stormcloud grey, slight variations in the color indicating marble. And all of those reflective surfaces are perfectly clean - although it's possible to find dried spots of decay on the backs of the mirrors, overall, it seems as though time doesn't have claim on this part of the Ship, much less the Growth.

And of course, where there are mirrors, there are reflections.

Some of them - probably the majority - are normal, perfect mirrors of the person the character expects to see. Some of them are distorted, but in a normal, mundane way - funhouse mirrors among the panels on the walls, making you wide or skinny or warped.

And then some of them show reflections of you that are distorted, not as in bent, but as in there being something different about the you that's in them. Different clothes; different hair; different age; different species. Added scars, or missing ones; limbs missing, or replaced with something else. A completely unknown you in the mirror.

For the most part, these altered reflections act the way you would expect, imitating the movements of the rest of the reflections in the room. But sometimes they don't. Sometimes they climb out of the mirror - and whether they're friendly or not remains to be seen.

There's a note on the mirror-topped table next to the couch. In backwards writing that needs to be held up to a mirror to be read easily, it says:

Thanks for visiting! I'm sorry I couldn't be there to meet you, but there's just so many people here today!

I wonder if you'll get a chance to meet the real you?

Good luck!

new characters and visitors

For those who are new around here, the method of arrival is... a bit different. This applies equally to characters who are just here for the fourth wall (alternates of existing characters etc) or those who will be apped as permanent residents - there isn't a distinction to these categories until the end of the event.

These characters arrive with a first sensation of being pressed against a hard, glass surface - not unlike the whispers of sensation that haunted the existing passengers over the last few days. The difference is that this time, the glass you're pressed against isn't a horizontal floor or bed - it's vertical or at least mostly vertical, and you can tell which way is down.

Or, put another way: Newly arrived characters start their boatride on the wrong side of the mirrors that are packed away into the unknown deck. They are facing towards the real world side, the way they would if they were reflections made physical, but turning around and looking behind them is nearly impossible.

Indeed, there's a growing pressure forcing them against the glass barrier. It grows harder and harder to breathe, almost like drowning, or being crushed by water pressure -

Until, just when you think you can't survive any more, something gives way, and you stumble out of the mirror into the real world. It's not the glass breaking - it's more like forcing your way through a soap bubble or the membrane that sits inside an eggshell that separates the hard pieces from the white. Water, too, cascades down out of the mirror with you, splattering all over the floor, but it's just water, and it doesn't seem to have left more than a bit of surface dampness on you.

However, when characters turn around, they will find that while the glass is still in place and unbroken, the mirror will no longer reflect anything - not even the shine of light cast on the glass - rendering these mirrors completely black. This reflectivity stays on the puddle of water around your feet instead, which aggressively reflects the area around it even if taken elsewhere - even if poured into a cup. In motion, it's too transparent to be taken for mercury or silver, but when pooled undisturbed, it does not ripple in response to the motion of the ship. Only the actions of characters or other forces can cause ripples. Otherwise, it appears to be normal water.

Characters who are alternates of each other might come out of the mirrors while they're literally being reflected (a certain surprise for those who are on the normal side of the mirror doing the looking), but they might also just appear in rooms all by themselves, or in the presence of someone else they know (or think they know). Those who don't have any immediate connections among the current passengers are more likely to appear in some empty room, but ultimately this is left to player discretion.

shallower reflections

Not all reflections are as potentially friendly as those played by those of us on the player side of the screen, however. In addition to the "deeper" reflections played by real humans, who have or at least appear to have personalities and histories of their own, there are also "shallow" reflections. Unlike the Fourth Wall arrivals, shallow reflections can't be of characters who aren't present at the time - they only appear in response to characters looking into mirrors (whether those characters are existing residents or new arrivals).

The shallow reflections come out of the mirrors just like the Fourth Wall arrivals, but there's always something a little off about them. Some of them stay reversed like a reflection; some of them don't make any noise when they move and cannot speak; some of them come out of the mirrors with the funhouse-esque warped reflections and stay that way. Like their more 'real' counterparts, the mirrors the shallow reflections come out of turn completely flat, unreflective black; unlike their counterparts, they don't really hesitate in striding out, much less stumble and potentially collapse.

What do they want? To shove whoever they're a reflection of into the black mirror they came from. What happens if they succeed?

You die. I mean, probably. There's no way of knowing unless one of them does succeed, after all. If you want your character to die in this fashion, please let the mod team know. While we cannot guarantee that interesting things will happen to all characters (and those who are only here to visit for the Fourth Wall are not eligible), this may have permanent consequences for your character, take them out of play for longer ICly than a typical death, or impact other characters in the game beyond the typical levels of emotional harm. Or some combination of all three.

Fortunately, the shallow reflections only have physical strength on their side - they do not possess any powers of those they take the shapes of, and they can be killed in largely the same way as unremarkable flesh and blood humans. A killing blow causes them to collapse into the same hyper-reflective water as described above; the mirror they came out of remains black.

??? deck

The deck itself is open fully to character navigation. Like the lab specimen storage of Zinnia, this deck - whose name is not posted anywhere for characters to find easily - is clear of any signs of Growth, and manages to feel chilly even if you get up to the top deck where the sun is shining.

Or... Should be shining. Regardless of the weather on other deck dimensions, the skies above this deck are
always, at best, a cloudy, half-stormy grey. The air above hangs tense, like the clouds are waiting for something to happen. Unlike the other instances of Ship weather, you don't need Neuvillette's particular affinity with water to sense it - any character with empathic or telepathic powers will be able to feel the sense of looming, helpless frustration in the clouds.

The most notable feature of this deck, of course, is that it's full of mirrors. Indeed, it's not only the mirrors that are missing from the suite bathrooms, the public restrooms by the cafeteria, and so on - there are far more mirrors than the Ship would reasonably need to outfit the decks it has, even including the multidimensional nature of it. Mirrors hang from the walls, and then more mirrors lean against those, or against the other furnishings, or even against each other (since some of them are standing mirrors), and the groups against the walls are often five or six panels deep with the largest at the back the side of the glass panels of the Ship's sliding glass balcony doors. (Yes, those are also replaced by mirrors, reflective in both directions.) Tabletops are reflective in their own rights, and then littered with even more, antique-looking hand mirrors and makeup compacts and those little circular mirrors sold in bags by the dozen at the craft store, only an inch across.

Considering all the reflective surfaces, it might be a good thing that there is only emergency power supplied to this deck - enough to keep the guide lights on and ensure that the sliding doors (though not the elevators) are working, and that whatever system pumps water through the faucets and showers is still going. The water is all cold, however, and there isn't any food available on the deck so far as characters are able to find. In the place where characters are used to finding the cafeteria, there is instead a terrifying mirrored bar filled with empty bottles and glasses as well as - well. Take a guess.

With the exception of the sliding glass doors in the suites, the glass of windows and so forth seems to be what it should be - though it's more reflective than seems natural, too. Like Zinnia, the cleaniness of this deck means that characters have full run of it, all the way down to the lounge on the bottom of the Ship - which is the only place that isn't completely clean on this deck. The super-reflective water that pours out of the mirrors seems to have flowed down here at some point, where it sits, unaffected by the motion of the Ship, about an inch deep across the entire floor. This water is the only feature down in the bottom lounge - there is no furniture, in contrast to its Zinnia counterpart.

And on this floor, at the very bottom, and only this floor, the reflective water has the smell - only the smell, not any other qualities - of fresh blood.

The Ship will not answer characters here - although the terminals in the residential deck that can normally be used to communicate with it (in whatever limited capacity) are present, their screens are (of course!) mirrors, and unresponsive. There's also no signs of drones about, not even the basic roomba-like cleaning drones; there's no evidence that they've been here recently, either.

A follow-up log, in which the Ship manages to make contact with characters wherever they are, will be posted later (mod goal time is 2-3 weeks from now). That log will take place on Day 40 and will bring with it food (for everyone who has gotten very hungry by then) and drone assistance, but whether characters actually manage to escape at that point or later on on Day 42 is left open to the opinions of you, the players! Both current players and visitors will be able to vote in a Discord poll on the matter, to be posted in the Discord announcements channel tomorrow (after you've had the chance to sleep on this post and let it cook in your brains a little).

Happy playing! Questions can be asked on Discord or added to the usual questions header below this post.

Comments

[order_dove]

"well hello little peacock I did actually change my hair thank for noticing"

Robins smile is just a bit different from the one aventurine would know. I can't say this new look is bad on him but it is certainly interesting... The peacock gave up his feathers.. she walks closer to rest her hand on his shoulder, if any even remote traces of order remains inside the man it very well may react to this. Her wings droop slightly as her face turns more serious.

fuck why did I agree to do this...

"Kakavasha...The Sunday you knew is dead." and it was my fault..

As the words leave her mouth she can already feel the beginnings of tears straining against her eyes, so long perfecting a mask only for one hole to constantly tear through all her defenses. She hates it, she truly hates everything that has happened in the past... However long she's been here.. at least he is a useful shoulder for her to learn on....

She doesn't even realize what she called him.

[doomed_gambler]

Aventurine stiffens at being called 'Little Peacock'. That specific name tends to come from a very specific person. His eyes flick around, eyeing the mirrors for a certain different form that might be tellingly reflected. But...no. Just birds, singers, dancers...all versions of Robin. But he wouldn't put it past Sparkle to cast illusions on the mirrors. If it's her, what sort of sick joke is she playing here...

He stiffens further when she lays a marionette-like hand on his shoulder. He does not like being touched this suddenly. Robin is not familiar to him. But more than that- the contact seems to tug on something in his mind, setting off a disorienting pulse behind his eyes. It's not painful, not quite, but it's not pleasant either. He's a little dizzy- what is that-

And then she uses- the name of the dead child-

He flinches away from her, from her touch, as if burned. He stares at her, bewildered. Faintly horrified.

"How do you know that name-" he rasps, then gets hit with her next statement.

'The Sunday you knew is dead.'

Aventurine breathes. Slow, fighting for control to return over his expression as he blinks once, twice. The dizziness lingers, faint, but certainly not helping. Okay. Okay.

Then, he lets out a sharp little laugh—too sharp, like a glass too-thin to hold its shape.

“Well well, Miss Robin. You really know how to kick a guy in the teeth.”

His lips curl into something like a smirk, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “You know, most people ease into bad news. A little warm-up, maybe some soft cushioning before the fall. But you? No, you just grabbed the nearest hammer and swung.”
He exhales, tilting his head back slightly, staring at the ceiling as if it might have answers. It doesn’t. Obviously.

And then, the weight of her words really sinks in.

Sunday is dead.

Sunday is dead.

The sharpness in his smirk fades—just a fraction. It isn’t much, but it’s enough for Robin to see the moment it hits.

“…Shit.”

There’s no quip for this. No charming deflection. For all his silver-tongued skill, there are some words that even he can't twist into something palatable.
Instead, he just exhales slowly, rolling his shoulders, forcing an easygoing lilt back into his voice. “Well,” he says, “that’s certainly alot to unpack.”

It’s weak as deflections go, but it’s all he’s got.

His hand twitches at his side, as if he wants to reach for something—someone—who isn’t there. But he doesn’t. Instead it settles over his heart, over the enchanted poker-chip there. It seems to steady him.
He then studies Robin’s face, noting the way her eyes glisten, the way her wings droop, the weight of everything she isn’t saying. That's...easy enough to read. Right...that's her brother. What happened??

And because, for all his faults, he isn’t completely heartless—

“…You wanna sit?” His voice is softer now. Just a little. Just enough. “We, ah. We probably ought to talk about this, hm? Come on, come on, we're not far from where I woke up. There's furniture more comfortable than mirrors there.”

[order_dove]

"I.. I understand I should have softened the blow a bit but you must understand why I delivered the news so bluntly. From my understanding you two where not exactly on friendly terms kak-aventerine."

She corrects herself with a cough trying to cover her slip up. fucking god damnit I can't even do this right... Oh how far you have fallen pretty bird... robin motions him forward.

The brain fog rolls back in

"I suppose there is much to discuss so I shall take you up on that offer aventurine."

he looks better then my worlds kakavasha... More ... Happy.. he's happy here.. was he not happy with me?.. no no I was great. This one must not have had quite the same experience with the IPC... Yeah that's it. After all why would my presence make anything worse... I help.. she starts walking in the direction he motioned.

"I suppose I also owe you an explanation on how I know your name.. first.. I think it's rather obvious but I am not your robin.. from my understanding in your world Sunday was the heir of the order whereas in my world, I took that role. Well in my world we where good... Friends. I even helped you break free from the IPC. And in doing so I was entrusted with your name."

She conveniently leaves out the part that she was only told because she had already found it deep within his brain after tinkering around in there.

"Regardless of the fact that you are not my aventurine, just as this was not my Sunday, you still are a aventurine and he was still a Sunday... So I felt it only right I handle this one.."

Her eyes are still a little wet with unspent tears but as she moves aventurine catches a glimpse of pink in her left iris. Her wings perk up slightly as she walks a little faster trying to make the conversation a little less awkward

worst case scenario you can use him as sparkle bait if you need too... Hopefully he understands... Hopefully he joins me once more..

Her left iris's pink hue grows ever so slightly.

THEY smile.

[doomed_gambler]

"No no, I understand. No need to apologize," he replies, raising his hands in a sort of surrender. He's not wearing gloves. Robin would see that his palms are covered in fresh scars from ragged cuts of some kind. "He's your brother after all. A version of him, at least..." His eyes flick to the mirrors, how different versions of himself and Robin walk with them on the other side.

He lets out a long breath. "Sunday and I..." He thinks of the Halovian, huddled within a bedsheet, still reaching forward to try and calm him from his hallucination induced panic. How the man's feathers puffed up in a hilariously endearing fashion as Aventurine stole his list at the dance party.

"He's...not...we're...not exactly friends. But 'bad terms' doesn't really apply anymore either..." ...his eyes slip shut for a moment, processing. "He's been here about as long as I have. Being told he's dead is...hard to believe." He's not saying he doesn't trust her words. Why would Miss Robin, poised and proper and loving, joke about something like that?? Unless this is Sparkle in disguise...that possibility still isn't ruled out...

He notes she stops herself from using...that name again. He appreciates it, so doesn't comment on her slip up. He's still not ready to really think about what to do with that name...it's his but it isn't but then who is he etc. etc.

"Right this way then, Miss Robin," he replies. Normally he'd usher her on with a flourish, but the topic at hand...he should do without.

He walks beside her, his eyes glowing faintly in the emergency lighting as he takes in what she's saying. Huh...a different series of events. A reflection even. That's...so bizarre it makes some sense considering. All the. Mirrors. He's seen a couple reflections escape containment..."Escape the IPC huh...well. I thank you on other me's behalf then." Friends, huh? Oh he hopes he didn't lead this poor girl on. He knows how...complicated the term "friend" was to him. Is. ...it's less complicated now.

He sighs, his smile growing a bit more genuine. Almost somber. "Thank you for telling me. I...would like you to use just "Aventurine" here, for now, alright? Nothing personal, it's just..." His shoulders go up in a small shrug. "Complicated?"

((Good call leaving the brain tinkering part out. He'd not take that well lmao))

They reach the room, and as she passes...the vibrant pink in her eye isn't lost on him. He twitches slightly, because it's...reminiscent of Avgin eyes. His eyes. Does...he call attention to that? It doesn't seem to be bothering her though, so maybe he'll just tuck it into the back of his mind for now. Kinda creepy though. As is that smile...still he gives back his most winning smile, gesturing for her to sit, him following suit next to her.

"Now then. I know it's probably not pleasant to think about but...you wanna talk about it? What happened, I mean. Even if he's not your Sunday, I'm sure this must be hard for you."

[order_dove]

"I think the other you thanked me enough, it wasn't easy and jade put up a hell of a mental war, but finding her body was the only challenge, disposing of her was effortless."

She states bluntly as if she didn't just admit to cold blooded murder of an IPC stoneheart. I wonder
.. has this aventurine had the same hardships? He has the same brand so sigonia suffered the same fate.. a pity...

Her wings droop slightly seeing the scratches, aventurine was her friend and she hated seeing her friends injured after all. She decides not to comment on it.

As they where walking she observes all the alternative versions, she swears she sees the kakavasha she knew.

They eventually reach the room and she sits. Oblivious to the reflection of her father behind her. ok robin... You can do .. just.. focus on the facts... Your a diplomat and a string master... You can give an incident report...

"Well it starts with my defeat back in .. in my Penacony.. then I was pressed through a mirror battered and bleeding and from there I met an executor named Federico, he helped bandage me up and informed me he was looking for Sunday... After that I told him to go save Sunday and leave me, he hesitated for a little bit but eventually he left. Unfortunately he was far too late and Sunday was already taken by the mirror creatures, he is resting and has permitted me to assist in the will and information of the other passengers."

He can hear hints of emotion shine through her stoic demeanor here and there.

"That is the events up to this point, the only other noteworthy event is that I had a run in with the masked fool sparkle on my way here but effectively lost her... I am not sure what the relationship between her robin and herself is but I am apparently much more... Adept at avoiding the fool."

She lets out a small chuckle, her poor attempt to lighten the atmosphere does not go unnoticed always the social butterfly...

"Nothing else of note has occurred my friend."

She finally allows her diplomat mask to slide off and returns to her normal state.

"I must say this will be hard on all of us so... I am here if you need anything"

She scoots closer to him and looks him in the eyes with a smile. Before her wings drop slightly at this angle he would get the perfect view of how one of her irisis is slowly morphing to magenta, spreading from the bottom of the iris like a cancer.

"I must admit I am a bit curious about your hands... Where you injured my friend?"

[doomed_gambler]

Aventurine's smile freezes. There's a stiffness to it that he hides very well, but there is...a chill that goes down his spine when the woman mentions...killing Jade??

"Is that so?" he asks conversationally, all while he scrambles mentally to parse that. Jade...? Dead? He can see how that would be an outcome in another world but...why does the concept pain him, a little? It's not a reassuring notion, not like Robin seems to think it is.

He breathes.

"Sounds like it got quite...lively."

In the room, Aventurine does see Gopher Wood in the background. And he knows who that is. Why in Robin's reflection...?

The man's eyes slide over to him, and he smiles. The very same smile Robin just gave him. H-Huh...that's not eerie at all. He's gone before Aventurine can really question it anyway. Cool. Okay. Not enough time to unpack that. Probably just the boat being weird again. (His gut says otherwise....it's almost never wrong. Backburner.)

He listens, his concern...growing as she goes. Ok. So she was defeated in her world. She...seems to be taking it worse than Sunday did. Then again...taking a guess on her altered limbs...that's not a surprise. "So you popped out of a mirror too..." he murmurs, tapping his chin. All the others have attacked him...so what makes her different?

Oh. Ha. So she met their resident soldier boy. He's a good man...Aventurine had seen him around Sunday alot, and thus used him to deliver gifts on occasion...sounds like it was good he found Robin when he did.

....and not in time for Sunday. Oooooh. Oh. Damn. That's gotta be rough...if she'll let him, he'll take one of her hands in his own when her voice wobbles a bit too much. A small comforting gesture. If she was friends with him in another life, it might be alright...?

...wait. Hold up. "Wait. Wait. I- I'm sorry for your loss, truly, that sounds...awful. Er...just gotta clarify; what's this about a will?"

He then makes a face, very brief, when Sparkle is mentioned. Like he tasted a lemon. He smooths it over quickly, though. "Yes. Sparkle is. Still here. Great to know," he says, voice going as dry as the Sigonian desert.

He hums, patting her hand once. "Sounds like you've been through the wringer on your first...day? And thanks...you're new here, though. And I've found many helpful people on this ship. So...back at you. If you need anything, I got connections here," he chuckles, smiling brightly even as she calls him friend. She...seems? To mean it? But it's so bizarre to him coming from her...it doesn't feel real. Like his business agreements back at the IPC...

His hands? Oh. "Ha, these old things? Nothing to worry about, Miss Robin~" He raises one hand, wiggling his fingers and moving around a bit too much for her to get a good look. "Just a...poor judgement on my part some days ago on the ship. Ruined my gloves, and...my hands, apparently. To be honest I don't even remember it all that well, so it's really not a big deal~"

He doesn't remember because he was mentally somewhere else. Entirely different. A wasteland where rubble trapped his loved ones...and he'd do anything to get them out. Not a pleasant memory.

He opens his mouth to deflect more, then pauses. The color in her eye...it's growing. "Um...Miss Robin. Forgive me if this is too forward, but is...something wrong with your eye? It seems to be...ah. Changing color. Is that normal?"

[order_dove]

Robin takes his hand and squeezes ever so slightly.

"It... It did get rather lively. Trying to find a balance between dealing with the IPC, the loufu and the astral express.. it wasn't fun.. they are all formidable opponents and I focused a bit too much on the IPC.. the cloud knight incursion was practically ignored until I needed to and that gave the nameless their opening.. "

Her smile grows ever so slightly remembering everyone working in such beautiful harmony... All working for her dream, she is still convinced if a few things went slightly different she would have won the day and it shows.

"Yes Sunday... Sunday left a will. It only left one thing to you and that is the knowledge and safety if his passage... Once again I do not know the relationship between you and it certainly seems more ... Tense... Then the Sunday and aventurine i know. But still... I am.. relieved to have completed at least one thing off his will."

She squeezes his hand a little more and then does something unexpected. She leans in twords him to rest her head on his side he can feel faint flickers of the order in her hands. She's not purposely trying to pulse it but she is so overflowing with resonance it's impossible for some to not leak out. he's... He's not my vasha.. he's not my vasha.. he's not my vasha... What are we doing??.. but .. I missed this...

"Sparkle sure is great.."

She agrees with a small laugh. Meeting him again feels like an aeonsend..

connections huh?... That will be very very useful... We... We will need those..

She can tell he is trying to deflect, her wings ruffle slightly in aggravation but she says nothing. She doesn't have the energy to pry away all his secrets. She will do that later when she has more... More will.

"You know you don't have to keep calling me miss.."

but is...something wrong with your eye? It seems to be...ah. Changing color. Is that normal?"

"What??"

She shoots up and looks in the mirror but all she sees are two green eyes .. she looks back at him in confusion and irritation.

"Aventurine i do not appreciate pranks right now.."

Gopher wood smiles again behind her.

[doomed_gambler]

Alright, so hand-holding is apparently fine here. Good to know.

Even as it makes that something pulse behind his eyes, like a migraine yet to be realized.

The Luofu? Why the hell did they get involved? Was it because of the Dan Heng kid, or—

He blinks.

A will isn’t... too surprising, honestly. Sunday was the type to have a to-do list at a dance party, so of course, he'd have his affairs in order. No, what throws Aventurine is that he’s in it at all.

He laughs softly, the surprise more evident than it would usually be. "That’s… kind of him. Thank you for telling me."
He’s not sure how he feels about it. Touched? Guilty? Grief? Man. He'll figure that out later.

For now, there are other things demanding his attention.

Aventurine stays perfectly still as Robin leans into him. But the moment she does, something hums against his skin—a flicker of Order, subtle but present, like a ghost brushing over his senses. It leaves a strange hollowness in its wake, something deep in his bones recognizing it before his brain can put words to it. Like it hurt but then he couldn't remember the pain.

His smile doesn’t falter, but there’s a thinness to it now, like stretched gold leaf. He doesn’t pull away, but he doesn’t exactly relax either.

"Dunno if 'great' is what I’d call her, but... sure." His tone is dry, but it keeps his focus on something manageable: Sparkle Slander.

He hums, forcing his shoulders to relax little by little. He can play this off. He can keep this normal. "I suppose if I requested a particular name, you have every right to discard titles. So, just Robin then?"

She shifts, and he moves his head back just in time to avoid accidentally impacting her head with his chin ((no further concussions yet ok??? lmao)).

And then—

Wait. What?

The color change isn’t in the mirror. He looks at the reflection, back at Robin. It’s right in front of him. He watches as it flickers, bleeding out and snapping back again like a bad light struggling to hold a charge.

Aventurine laughs—thin, breathy, wrong. "I would not joke about something like that." His runs a hand through his hair, mussing it further. "I swear, maybe it’s the lighting, but your eye is—"

He hesitates. Not just because of the shifting color.

Because of the man in the mirror.

Gopher Wood.

Smiling.

Watching.

Like he knows something Aventurine doesn’t. Like he’s already won a game Aventurine didn’t even know they were playing.

His breath comes in just a little too sharp before he covers it with another laugh—just as strained as the first. His body remains still, but his mind is running, analyzing, turning over the angles, trying to pin down what exactly is wrong.

He gestures to the reflection, gaze narrowing. "And, well—there’s a whole Gopher Wood in your mirror, in case you didn’t notice that."

There’s something off about the way the figure in the glass looks back at him, the way his knowing smile lingers.

Aventurine resists the urge to glance away. If he does, he has the sickening feeling that when he looks back—

The smile will be bigger.

[order_dove]

Robin whips around as fast as she can. Only to be greatest with her own reflection in the mirror, it waves at her innocently and she hesitantly waves back. what.. the hell ... Why ... Why did he say this was gopher wood??? How.. how DARE he compare me to that monster... How fucking dare he I am nothing like my father ... Right? I mean ... He did so alot of good for us right? Yeah he did it by abuse... Woop fucking Woop.. fucking.. why am I even debating this... But he did do some good.. what abuse was he ever guilty of?

Robin is confused. She feels.. conflicted? She tries to remember any of the abuse but everything feels muted. She remembers her limbs. The ones he had half forced onto her. But... She wanted it right? She asked for it. It is what she needed. He helped her.

Aventurine sees gopher wood stand in the mirror, a sinister smile on his face as he waves through robin at aventurine.

Breaking free from her train of thoughts she slowly turns back twords aventurine, her face flush with fury. Doing it's best impression of an enraged owl as she lets out something between an angry chirp and a snarl. Her lesser wings flare in rage as her greater wings sprout from her back.

"Aventurine i have already told you I am not in the mood for jokes... So instead you move to insults.. how fucking dare you compare me to that incompetent fool ... I am so so much more than he will ever be. I am Perfect I am the hybrid of the order and harmony and he is just a man... How dare you."

Her path resonance rises as the eyes on her wings open, he feels like Sunday was once again preparing to brand his tongue. And then it stops and slowly returns to a normal level

he... Is touched by the order?.... What ... Was he chosen?.. is he like me??

The fury disappears from her face in an instant replaced by open confusion. Her head tilts slightly as her greater wings retract and she looks almost through aventurine. Finally she utters one fateful phrase as she takes a few steps twords him.

"Why are you known to THEIR grace?"

[doomed_gambler]

Unlike Bre's other character, Aventurine is fully aware of Robin's growing anger. Aventurine smiles back at the man, teeth bared as if in a snarl barely restrained within a smile.

"It must be obstructing your vision, dear. Look, see," and he raises his phone, snapping a picture of the man in the mirror, of her own eye, changing. "Probably some mirror nonsense. It's always something with this boat, I swear," he mutters, looking at the picture to make sure it's all there. And it is! All spooky details accounted for. He turns the screen to Robin. "Here, see?"

Of course she doesn't see it. And she hisses like an enraged owl, standing, wings flaring. He raises his hands in defense, a nervous laugh escaping. "I assure you I would not joke about such things. Hey, calm down- I just said he was in the mirror-" And he still is, grinning widely now. Aventurine hates it- "No comparisons here!" Hybrid? Perfect? What sort of cultist BS has she been fed-

He gasps when the eyes open and tug on the vestiges of the curse left in his mind. Familiar colors at the edges of his vision- no. Nononono-

"Robin. Darling. Dear. Please...please stop. I didn't mean anything by it. I'm not lying-" If she's doing what he thinks, she'd know lies. Right? His shields flicker around him, instinctual, defensive, afraid-

Then she stops. Wings flatten away, extra eyes closing. Aventurine sighs, hands lowering slowly as he looks up at her, barely able to stop from flinching as she steps closer.

"I'm...not sure if grace is how I'd put it." He shrugs, trying to act casual as he presses his hands into the couch to hide their shaking. "Where I'm from, your brother laid a...concecration on me. To investigate your murder." He huffs, a humorless laugh leaving his lips. "I don't think I met his expectations. If it weren't for Acheron cutting the worst of it out of me, I'd probably be. Ah. Very different by now."

His part of the will may come to mind for Robin. 'The greatest thing I may offer to Aventurine is freedom from his curse, and therefore, from me. I have asked for his forgiveness as well as my own, though I am unsure if it has helped. I suppose he may find out.'

This...may very well be that curse. And Sunday seems to view it with nothing but regret, now. And Aventurine seems to fear it.

Is this your grace, Robin?

[order_dove]

He wasn't lying... But that was impossible... Perhaps... Perhaps his order is canceling out my own?? No no... I am not that weak.. no no no he must be lying

"I... You... Why .. why would you stray from such a path... Why would you reject THEIR gifts ...."

She couldn't wrap her head around it Sunday just have done something truly stupid to fuck this up... But he's Sunday he isn't stupid ... Right? But... He did stray from our light...why why why why... Robin's head screeched in pain as she tries to remember something anything.

She failed

She needed to bring him into the light.

"Why would you betray your own mother goddess like that kakavasha?.. the avgin are a people championed by Ena and yet you their last survivor tarnish their traditions... Are you sure you are truly avgin?"

The order once again started to surge

bring him into the fold robin. It will make him happy he is so sad right now and he needs a guiding star. But he is so afraid he is too afraid to let you lead him. .... But why is he afraid of me ...

"Why are you afraid aventurine?"

Two voices echoed out of her mouth, one a more sing sing version closer to the robin he would know and the other more composed more... Orderly.

"I am only trying to help you vasha."

The voices are one.

Her eye is completely pink.

She no longer realizes what she is doing.

She is Perfect.

He should join her.

Robin: BE NOT AFRAID Aventurine, lying: I'm not afraid. RUNS

[doomed_gambler]

Aventurine barks out a laugh, full of nervous energy. "THEIR gifts?? The ones that made my head feel like it was about to explode? The gifts that were meant to strip my mind of all will and identity? Or kill me if I screwed up?" He laughs, harder, a hysterical edge to it. "Yeah. No thanks. I dunno about you but those aren't particularly pleasant."

Sunday seemed to feel actual remorse about it lately...why doesn't she? How indoctrinated is this woman?? Yikes. Big yikes. This is a bust, he needs to go-

His eyes go wide when she uses his name again. And then narrow, feeling an unexpected, incomprehensible rage at her words. "Don't. You. Dare." He hisses, rising to his feet and getting up close, raising a finger at her. "How dare you place your god above my own, assuming they're the same. Who are you, to claim what's best for me? What would you know about Avgin traditions? Hm?" He sniffs, drawing back a little. "You'd think someone who saw fit to kill Jade would recognize how hypocritical she's being. But perhaps you're too blind to see it."

His head hurts. His head hurts.

He continues to smile, so sharp it could cut glass. There's no warmth to it anymore. "I'm perfectly fine, thanks. I don't need your help." He's distinctly not meeting her gaze. He knows what's happening. He's not looking at her, not directly, even as he feels a strong pull to do so. This is bad. This is very bad. H-He's not afraid, he's just. Done.

"Lovely catching up with you, Miss Robin. Sorry about your brother. I'll attend the funeral should you have one, etcetera etcetera, I really must be going now look at the time-" and he makes a scrambling break for the door, his shields slamming into place around him to fend off any possible projectiles.

He has to get away.

[order_dove]

No projectiles come, she has him right where she wants him.

A wall of light slams itself over the door just before he can escape.

why.. is he running?.. I am just helping him?..

She slowly approaches her movements stiff, like a puppet on a string. All of her reflections now reflect gopher wood.

"Little peacock I am only trying to help you? Why are you so scared of salvation? Don't you want to be in THEIR embrace.. to slumber in sweet dreams ... With your family?"

As the words come out of her mouth another figure appears ever so briefly in aventurines vision behind robin and off to the side, for just a split second he sees a blond woman a little older than him with long hair and a flowing beautiful dress, her eyes are the most striking, they are his eyes.

"My dear brother... Why do you resist the light of our goddess?"

why ... Why won't he let us help him? Why... Does he not seek peace?

As she approaches he notices particular points on her seem to almost glow with the energy of the order, the apex of her greater wings, her left eye, and her halo. All of these sites seem to be radiating the energy out from them.

"Aventurine I am only trying to heal you... To make you whole again.."

The holovian doesn't seem to even register the illusion of his long lost sibling. She is slowly gaining a migraine. Everything feels so heavy. Aventurine looks so sad and she just wants to give him a hug she hasn't done anything scary so why is he so afraid?

She does not realize her voice is speaking.

She has not realized she has even said anything.

She only sees her scared friend who she should help.

[doomed_gambler]

He should have known. He should have known when she said she came out of the mirror. He should have known.

All the reflection creatures are just insane apparently??

"We've been over this-" he says through gritted teeth. It was with Sunday, not her. But the fact remains- "I'm not ready yet. I'm not- someone they can be- proud of- I can't-"

Aeons he can barely think. That hurts. There's- he can't get ahold of the door terminal. No. No no no nonono-

"HELP!! ANYONE OUT THERE!! ANYONE AT ALL!!" He shouts, slamming his hands against the field, even as it burns. Even as his vision wavers and warps.

He hates calling for help. But he knows there are people here who will. To his mortification and gratitude. And now...desperation.

He holds a hand tight against the poker chip. He doesn't...know if it works like this, but he hopes he's projecting enough fear to draw Aurelia over in time-

His knees give way, crashing to the floor, supernatural pressure pushing in on him, strangling his thoughts. He hears- no. No.

"You're not her. She's not..." He has to look. It is....her. But he's seen enough hallucinations here to know it's a trick. It has to be.

Tears still drip down his face. It hurts. He misses her. He knew he shouldn't have looked. Now his eyes are locked on the wings. Trapped. Like a rabbit in a snare.

"This isn't- healing. Miss Robin, you're hurting me-" he manages, voice faltering as the light claws into his mind, seeking to put it all into perfect Order.

[order_dove]

She sees his mouth moving, he's saying something...

She can't hear it all she hears is a low ringing. It hurts.

"Kakavasha why are you fighting us. We are only trying to help you ... You are perfect just the way you are. You are a good man. Join us."

Both the illusion and the holovian speak in sync. Robins resonance is growing unstable as the pink in her eye flickers slightly.

She stumbles.

I am only trying to help him... Why won't he let me help him.... Why kakavasha why.. why do you hate me so much you won't let me help you?

After a moment She regains her balance she doesn't realize how weak her barrier is getting. Her body doesn't have the energy for a drawn out event and HE knows it.

we must push ourselves further. We must save him. He is to dear to you to allow to fall after all...

"Two in the dunes, one lost, one blessed"

She takes another few steps forward

"Two in the cage, one lost, one blessed"

She almost reaches him as she begins to lean down her voice strange and alien as both eyes shine a vibrant pink.

"Two on the stage, both blessed."

She reaches out to touch his forehead.

[aureliasharr]

And a cold hand clamps around her wrist, grip tight enough to bruise, squeezing hard enough to be a real threat to breaking the bones underneath it.

She'd heard Aventurine crying out, recognized the distinctive flare of his aura filling with fear. And the truth is there's very few things faster than a vampire intending to be somewhere. She'd sped through the boat, slipping through shadows to cut time, and arrived to find this mess of a situation. Adrenaline still rushing through her, instincts riding shotgun, her thoughts are simple

Aventurine is hers, and in danger. Remove the danger.

She forces Robin's hand up and away, not letting go as she pulls away at Robin's emotions, mental claws digging in against her mind and pulling. Her red glowing eyes stare directly into Robins, and she hisses. "This is unacceptable."

[order_dove]

Robin recoils from the sudden appearance both pair of wings flare outward startled as their eyes open. She tries to jerk her wrist away but finds it trapped in Aurelias iron tight grasp. I am just trying to help him! she screams wordlessly

Then mental claws dig in.

Pain. Pure white hot blistering pain roars through her body. She can feel her connection to THERE grace being strained by her attempts to fight back. Robin lets out a sound not dissimilar to a bird who has its wing caught in a trap. fucking fuck ow fuck holy fuck OW she can hardly think as she stumbles backwards trying to get away.

"I am only trying to help him.."

[caseofthemondays]

Aventurine wasn't the only one getting a headache. Wonweek hissed as the Order's will imposed itself on one end of the ship, the intensity of its song blinding, harrowing... He'd heard that Robin was here, but she was not a Robin he'd been familiar with--

His own had died, succumbed to a bullet on a planet far away. He'd pulled away from everyone, everything, closed off and abrasive. Being the last to find out had severed the last of any ties he'd had to that man.

He feared seeing her again, feared her seeing him for who he was. Feared losing her again. Wonweek grits his teeth as he hears Aventurine scream, begging for help. He turns and hurries, wondering exactly when he'd decided he had to be the big hero. He wasn't sure if she knew the other version of him had died, let alone if she felt anything about it, but with how firmly the Order seemed to be ingrained in her, tangled within her being... He has to try.

"R-Robin?" He calls out, stumbling onto the scene, towards her and all her wings and eyes. He holds his head, a strained look on his face. The tears rolling down his cheeks are more real than he'd like to admit. He stops only when he's close enough to touch her, when he tries to lean on her for support, aiming to wrap his arms around her. "...Where are we? It hurts... I don't understand..."

He lies through his teeth with every word. It's easier than he thought it might be, acting clueless, docile, in need of his beloved sister's reassurance. If Aventurine knows what's good for him, he'll run.

Please run, you idiot.

[order_dove]

His voice pierces clean through the haze. but... What?... How .. but Sunday is dead ... Did fedi lie to me?... But no... No he couldn't have ... What.. she takes a few steps backwards as her greater wings fully retract, any focus she had on aventurine is gone as her right eye flashes back to green in an instant. The left is a mixture of her regular green and the ever invasive pink.

"Sun... Day?"

She takes a trembling step forward and touches his cheek with her prosthetic. he is real... He is really here... Sunday is alive!

Robin pulls him into a almost bone crushingly tight hug, a testament to just how strong a fighter she's become as she lets out a happy little chirp.

"How? Why? I... I thought you where dead brother what... What happened?? I have missed you so much so so so much! Thank Ena you are back."

She nuzzles into his neck as he feels tears start to run down her face.

"I missed you so much... Are you alright? Do you need aid? Have you eaten? How are you doing how can I help?"

A thought crosses her mind

surely this can't be my Sunday right?... But... But maybe...

The man in the mirror behind her snarls in anger.

He will have his day soon...

[paladinforhire]

There's a battering sound against the light.

Wham. Wham. Wham.

The steady insistence of the desperate, of the determined. There's the sound of someone yelling, though whatever it is it's not a language from either of their worlds. It's rough and guttural and the intonation makes it clear that it's probably not polite.

[doomed_gambler]

Aventurine flinches, hearing the shouting, his- well, both of their beacons- translating the words that would make him chuckle were it not for the situation at hand.

As it is, the shock of the noise is enough to duck out of the way of Robin reaching or him, and he rolls to the side to make way for a very furious bun.

“Fridtjof-!” He calls back, voice hoarse. He’s…mortified that this is the second time this week he’s had to be rescued, but at the moment he’s rather too relieved to really care.

It’s just a marvel, every time, when the gamble pays off. When a friend actually comes to help. He’d examine that more if he wasn’t dealing with his skull splitting open and Robin coming after him.

[order_dove]

Robin ducks out of the way the opposite direction of aventurine as a third person enters the fray. why ... Why why why do people always need to sabotage their savior..... robin readies herself for combat preparing to summon her weapon as her legs buckle underneath her

She lets out a sound somewhere between a squeak a chirp and a swear as pain rushes over her body.

"I... I am trying to help you kakavasha why... Why won't you let me help you.."

[unihilism]

Jesus christ what is going on over there.

Malos is not particularly in a hurry to reach that blinding light and Order, except then he hears Aventurine screaming for help, and uh, scratch that. Malos is in a hurry after all.

He doesn't have time for this, he doesn't have time for - is that Sunday's sister??? - whatever the hell is happening here, and with his core cracked the way it is he doesn't exactly want to go toe-to-to with... uh... that, either! No thanks! He slams a shield down around himself - a barrier of purple - a perfect sphere - and then he bends down, scoops Aventurine up, and throws him over his shoulder in one swift motion.

The shield is flickering as he starts running, but it gives them plenty of time to get lost in the mirror maze in, uh, any other direction at all! Thanks!

"What the hell was all that!?" Malos asks. He is still running. And he is not putting Aventurine down.

[doomed_gambler]

It's rather disorienting, really. One moment he's kneeling, unable to move as an ending to his own...self comes closer, in the form of multicolored eyes so much like his bearing down on him, keeping him still as this...twisted version of Robin leans in to touch his forehead. She's smiling so sweetly and yet...it's empty. Like she's not really there, but a vessel for whatever thing wishes to drag him into mental chains forever-

He can't move. He whimpers softly, terrified, unable to scream like he wants. His fingers twitch, tears running down his face as his sister smiles from behind Robin's bright bright too bright form, arms open. Welcoming him into-

A familiar purple field slams in front of him, intercepting his imminent Death. Then there are hands on him, moving him, picking him up and- onto a shoulder? He's scared. Still processing having no control over the situation. But they're moving away from that...distorted version of Robin. He's being taken away from the bright staring eyes. He blinks, repeatedly, sagging as he comes back to himself.

He knows the voice shouting by his ear, rumbling through him. "Malos-" he chokes out, dangerously close to a sob. He clears his throat, taking a deep breath, still rather disoriented. "I-I don't- we were just talking and she g-got all Order-culty on me?? I'm so tired of those bird-brained siblings trying to force their beliefs on me, haha-" Hm, yes, make light of the situation. As if you're not shaking like a leaf over your friend's shoulder and watching with bated breath for a vengeful angel thing to come rounding the corner...

[order_dove]

Robin is knocked back by the purple shield and stumbles why... Why does he always have to make things difficult... I'm trying to help you... I am trying to save you she stumbles to her feet and manifests her bow in over to dispatch this new threat.

A threat that is not there.

By the time she is able to shift her attention back to aventurine he is gone. fuck.. Aeons fucking damnit... I.. I'll find them...

She tries to give chase but is too slow, they have too much of a head start after a little while she eventually falls against one of the walls of a hallway. And loses consciousness.