[a heart.]

[antreegonist]

There's a moment of nothing but light and sensation. Someone's looking you over and the scrutiny prickles and burns – it's nearly a physical pain, like fine little hooks digging past your skin, into the very meat of you. I know who you are, it says, and I know what you are, and that you don't have any business here --

“But you do,” says Mithos behind you. He's a tired, steady voice in your ear, a light hand on your shoulder. “I don't know what Dream's thinking, but everyone is welcome here in my heart; just keep in mind it's a real mess right now.”

Your vision clears.

((assume your characters wandered in here through a dream. also join #ihateyouihateyouiwanttocuddle on irc if you can!))

Comments

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

Not about this. Sorry, but I already made the commitment to stay.

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

He's pointing the sword at you, poised to attack. On the ground behind him is a box filled with dark fluid; it's turned on its side, the lid a little bit ajar, leaking.

"Get out."

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

[you know what I hate? I hate symbolism]

I won't. I need to pass.

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

Well now he's attacking you. What is with this heart and mixed messages.

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

[d-d-ducks down and somersaults under to try to sprint for the box behind him]

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

You can do that! You might have to parry a couple more slashes -- you're both Tales of speed stats -- but you reach the box.

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

[s-scree, parries backwards, watching for the box and reaching to grab it and turn it up as soon as he's close enough]

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

There's a flash of pure unadulterated rage when you touch the box. You want to destroy it -- you want to destroy everything --

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

[kfhlkngl

kfn

shoves the lid down]

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

It sets with a click, and Mithos's sword goes through your arm -- except he's transparent now, insubstantial.

"NO!"

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

[breathes sharply, jerking his hand off the box]

. . .

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

"No! Dammit! Damn you!"

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

... Sorry, Mithos. I don't think this should just be open.

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

"I hate you! How dare you! I hate you!"

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

[gets up '-' taking the box...]

I'm gonna pass now.

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

He keeps ranting at you, getting steadily more incoherent.

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

[deep breath]

It's not like I don't sympathize, you know. But all humans is too steep.

[guess I will. go to the ghostie tree. takin' the box]

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

His voice fades behind you.

You pass quickly through the roots and approach the trunk of the ghostly tree. It's so large that this close, you can see that climbing it the normal way is inconceivable; instead, the bark itself forms a rough, ridged path up, more than wide enough to walk on. It looks pretty twisty, if you glance up; the jagged wound in the trunk has damaged it in places. But it's still navigable.

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

. . . [I suppose that is the way to go... hefting himself up into the path]

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

You feel pretty secure on the path, like someone's looking out for you. It's a long walk up and around . . . distance goes strange again, though. You reach the first branch of the tree much faster than you should.

There's a plain white wooden door set into the trunk here. The word BODY is written on it.

Do you enter or keep going up?

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

. . . [um]



[ch..eck... body]

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

You see a garden of bizarre plants on the other side, with a mirror in the middle of it.

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

[...

wait

no

i hate symbolism again

backtrack up the path instead]

Re: [roots]

[antreegonist]

You reach the second branch and a door that says MIND.

You could also keep going up.

Re: [roots]

[ganbareist]

What could be behind this door? I bet it's a lot of things that nobody should be hardwiring.

[PEEKS]