Vertigo

Epyllion: Beyond Moonlight's Reach

𝐹𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓌𝒾𝓃𝑔

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It was Skobeloff that broke the silence next, wanting to know why she brought up unicorns out of the blue. Fellwing tried not to frown. She wasn't sure whether the Trickster knew the answer and just wanted to get her in trouble, or whether he was genuinely clueless. From what she knew, Skobe was a clever sort, so she could only assume the former. For a prank, this one was rather cruel.

Fellwing took her time to answer, wanting to make sure she sounded convincing enough when she finally said, as nonchalant as she could: "Nothing in particular. I get like this when I fly; the wind under my wings makes my mind wander."

It was at least half true. What she left unsaid was just that more often than not, her mind wandered to her visions.

With that, she did her best to change the subject and practice a skill she'd neglected for years: small talk. Hopefully, that would keep her clutchmate from asking any more sensitive questions in front of so many prying eyes.

Epyllion: Beyond Moonlight's Reach

I'm good to move ahead!

Epyllion: Beyond Moonlight's Reach

<Snipped quote by Vertigo>

I was unable to think of one.

@rush99999

Fair enough!

Epyllion: Beyond Moonlight's Reach

@Vertigo

Skobeloff has rolled a 10 to study Fellwing. The first of my two questions is as follows: How could I get you to stop being so worried about everyone knowing you're a Seer?

@rush99999

What was the second question btw?

Staring Back With Chrome Eyes

Sure

Epyllion: Beyond Moonlight's Reach

Oh god.

Well, I didn't expect complete political upheaval this early in the roleplay, but I guess that just makes me the fool.

@XxFellsingxX

The World We Left Behind

Planning to toss in a sheet, just trying to decide between a Breaker who's a little too into explosives and a scrawny Loader in a big rig. Or like, a combination of the two.

Epyllion: Beyond Moonlight's Reach

@Vertigo

Skobeloff has rolled a 10 to study Fellwing. The first of my two questions is as follows: How could I get you to stop being so worried about everyone knowing you're a Seer?

@rush99999

Oh boy, now that's a task. "By changing dragon society's perception of House Kebros, Seers, and the former two's relationship with Darkness, then convincing me you've done so even with my personality and past experiences making me wary of such idealistic claims."

A good first step is probably to just get her to trust her clutch more by not spilling the beans on her powers to others, or to show her positive examples of Seers being appreciated for their talents. The next step--- uh, revolution, I guess?

Epyllion: Beyond Moonlight's Reach

𝐹𝑒𝓁𝓁𝓌𝒾𝓃𝑔

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Fellwing noticed the ripples her question caused almost immediately. An uncomfortable silence descended upon the group like a blanket of snow, threatening to send shivers up the black drake's spine. She was no stranger to being stared at, though, and knew to keep her cool even as embarrassment churned her insides. Time and place, Fellwing, time and place. If she wasn't careful, she would rouse too much suspicion.

... She probably already had. Any more and she would basically spell out that she'd been visited by a vision. Besides, the sheer dismissiveness of Vipereyes' answer was telling enough, and the Seer didn't feel like pushing the issue would benefit her any.

As Fellwing glanced over at the older dragon, hoping her expression didn't give too much away, she was surprised to realize Vipereyes regarded her mostly with curiosity. She wasn't angry, hadn't sounded spiteful when she'd spoken of her house. For that, at least, she was grateful.

"Of course," Fellwing conceded, her tone humble if strained, as she turned her gaze back to the skies ahead. "As long as our mistakes don't overgrow us."

Expedition to Isekai

𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐭

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Goddamn it was noisy. Was it really too much to ask to be able to say goodbye to a comatose friend in peace!? Man...

Duncan shifted uncomfortably, trying to ignore the arguing going on outside. Whatever problems they had, he didn't care. He had to do this, had to say his goodbyes before he managed to trick himself into believing Yuki had hope again. But if he could hear everything outside, from the loudest yell to the faintest mumble, he had no doubt the other Awakened could also hear him, and that thought alone made him acutely aware of his heartbeat. He didn't want to say something overly mushy and hear about it later. Like, what if someone heard and told Hiroshi?! No thanks.

Besides, it wasn't like Yuki could hear him. He could tell, even with no expertise on the topic. Nothing seemed to affect Yuki's steady, shallow breaths. He wasn't... wasn't there to be moved by whatever anyone had to say, so any words he needed to get out would only be there to comfort Duncan himself. And if they were just for him anyway, he might as well just think them.

So, he tried. He tried to come up with a whole speech in the confines of his mind, free of embarrassment, but his thoughts didn't cooperate. They kept wandering to memories, to what ifs, to apologies, to realizing how fucking awful Yuki would have found all this. Eventually, Duncan gave up. Even if he did figure out how to do this, then what? Yuki would still be here, lying on the floor, unable to wake up. Words-- words wouldn't be enough. He had to let Yuki go, and not just figuratively in his head. He had to let Yuki rest, for real. He had to do something about those shallow breaths.

... But what?

They did it with a pillow in the movies. There wasn't a proper one around here though, none of those fluffy white ones. And it wasn't like he could just use his hands - that'd feel like murder.

Wouldn't it still be murder, no matter what?

Shit, shit, the movies never conveyed how fucking hard it was to even think about just... offing someone. With his strength he could probably just smack Yuki hard enough and it'd do the trick, but he wasn't about to beat his friend bloody. ... Blood. There was his blood. It'd almost killed Sasuke. Not in a pleasant-looking way, but could Yuki feel anything anyway? He could say it was a delayed reaction to the blood he ingested earlier if anyone asked. And maybe-- just maybe if he tried with his blood one more time, it would actually work and he wouldn't need to think about any of this.

One last shot. Then, one way or another, Yuki would be free.

Duncan inhaled slowly as he raised his shirt. There weren't any objects sharp enough to make proper cuts around, but how difficult would it be to tear open a scar? ... Well, probably very, but he was ready.

Except, before he could start, he heard footsteps. Immediately, Duncan yanked down his shirt and whirled around in his cross legged pose, coming face to face with Yukiko. Damn. He must've looked like a deer caught in headlights, but even if Yukiko noticed, she said nothing. Just walked up wordlessly and plopped down on the other side of Yuki, hugging her knees.

... Oh.

Silence settled over them, or over Yukiko, at least. It was never silent for Duncan and his newly found, superhuman senses. But it sure as hell was still awkward. He felt like he should've cheered her up, said something encouraging and hopeful, but really, that would've just delayed the inevitable. So what he said instead, was: "He won't come back, you know."

He let the words settle before continuing, not daring to turn to face her. He kept staring down at Yuki's sleeping face instead. "There's nothing more we can do for him, even with all the magic bullshit we got. You--- you did good, though, alright? So don't go blaming yourself."

Before Duncan could stop himself, he was speaking again, blurting out his thoughts the way he'd been unable to before. "He wouldn't want us to see him like this. If he knew you were coming in, he would've insisted on staring at the mirror for half an hour and groomed himself first. Like this dude brushed his eyebrows! Who the fuck brushes their eyebrows?! I asked him that once, and you know what this asshole said?"

He let out a wry, pained laugh. "'Stars like me.' Like he was... like he was mad popular, a celebrity in the making, with girls lined up at his door for every hour of the day. All cause of what, his Youtube channel? Daisuke and I were half his viewers. We watched every video. Multiple times. The numbers made Yuki so goddamn happy. He was sure they were all different chicks, all swooning, but really, it was two dudes and sometimes Maki, laughing at his antics with beers in hand. Oh, and kids, probably. Heard his vids were really popular with them. Somewhere out there's like an army of wannabe Yukis driving their bikes into lakes. They're gonna be devastated when--"

Duncan couldn't finish that thought, and he had to swallow a good handful of times before he was sure he could continue with a steady enough voice. "... We can't leave him like this." Duncan raised his gaze to Yukiko at last, brows furrowed. Not from anger, but from determination he hoped was infectious enough not to have her immediately freak out on him. "We... need to let him go, Yukiko."

Usually Duncan used first names without thinking, never quite having gotten used to the Japanese system of politeness and honorifics. This time though, he did it very purposefully — because even though they were practical strangers to each other, they were in this particular flavour of hell together.