WEEK 2

[bathymetric]

So far, so good! That might be where you at. No real further word from The Captain seems forthcoming, but also no real further... anything seems forthcoming. You've gathered some new information, but the locations are the same. All you've really gained is... well, rising tension?

How long until someone tries to take The Captain's way out of here? Only time will tell...



SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome one and all to your first case week! Don't forget to turn in regains over here, AC over here, and if you want to chat up the NPCs go here for Davy Jones and here for The Captain! ]

Comments

[dokkalfheimr]

Unfortunate things?

[It would seem so, but.]

[hellahighwater]

It’s my life, so, yeah, unfortunate’s a way to put it. [ Ah. There she goes again, throwing herself a pity party. Fucking stop that, Chloe. ] Yes. Yes, they’re largely very unfortunate. For awhile, they were...kind of okay, but...

Well. Here it’s just more of the same.

[dokkalfheimr]

I see.

[She hums a little to herself, quietly.]

My brother didn't...die, so much as he was murdered. The mortals responsible are still within our realm.

[hellahighwater]

...Oh.

[ Jesus. That's- ]

I'm... I'm sorry. I know, that's— [ ... ] That threat... The Captain's talking about them, for you. Isn't he?

[dokkalfheimr]

Yes, of course.

[She shifts a bit; adjusts her hair where it's hitting against her back. It's pretty long, fanned out in the water, so there's a good amount of weight to it.]

I cannot... What they did cannot stand. They risk destroying everything. And the thought that not only have they done this, but they might be permitted to cause even greater destruction...

I have already failed my brother once. I don't... I don't know what I will do if I fail him again.

[hellahighwater]

[ Something sits in the pit of her stomach. She... ]

...I, uh... I had this friend. Rachel. [ Friend feels...it's not enough. Her voice catches, on Rachel's name. Like each syllable's cutting into her mouth. ] She— Well. She went missing. No one really cared, not like- ...not enough to look for her. Every day she was gone, I thought... I kept wanting to...to scream at everyone. Like, how were their lives not ground to a halt? How were they not...doing something? Why didn't they care? Why...couldn't I find her?

[ She's looking somewhere at the water, behind Freyja. ]

She... We, uh, me and my- ...another friend, we...found her. But, it was...too late. She was— [ It's too raw. Chloe exhales softly. ] All I could think of was...finding the fucker who did that to her...and making him regret ever even breathing in the same air as her. Whatever I had to do. Whatever...could come next. The idea of...letting Rachel down, it was... I couldn't live with it.

[ Her eyes feel a little wet. Chloe quickly, roughly, wipes them dry with one hand. I'm sorry doesn't feel like enough. I understand feels too pretty, too simple. But her own pain? Chloe's got loads of that to share. So... ]

...Of course you're fucked up over it. Anyone would be.

[dokkalfheimr]

[She understands, really, how important the notion of shared pain is; she doesn't try to interrupt her or say anything, she just remains quiet by the edge of the pool, cradling her head in her folded arms again and listening to all that Chloe sees fit to tell her.]

...I feel as though I would like to show you our realm sometime.

[It's quiet, but it isn't insincere.]

The meadows and halls of Ljósálfheimr have long been host to those like you, those with mortal lives full of pain and more sorrow than anyone truly deserves. I truly would like to show you; perhaps it would offer you some respite.

[hellahighwater]

[ Chloe gives a soft, wet laugh. She never thought there'd be something in her life that'd make her dad easy to talk about, by comparison. But Rachel...

Rachel's another story altogether. ]

Ya know, Plumeria said I probably wouldn't be able to, ah...to appreciate it, the...your place, um. Dökkálfheimr. Really, I think I'd just be, ah...far too familiar with it. [ She clears her throat. ] But, still, it's— ...I'd like to see it. Both of 'em. I... I wanna see the place you wanna protect. [ ... ] The one you...wanna keep safe for your brother.

[dokkalfheimr]

When my powers have returned to me, I'll show them to you. I'll let you decide for yourself whether you care for them or not.

[It... Well, it's a nice idea, at any rate.]

As it is, you have my condolences. With regards to your friend.

[hellahighwater]

[ She straightens up a little, trying to brush it off. ]

Yeah, well. We, uh, we got justice for her. That's what everyone needs, if they can't be saved, just...some justice. The assholes who did that to know...and not to be able to do it to anyone else.

[dokkalfheimr]

...I agree. It's what I want to do for Freyr - to ensure that this never happens again.

[She's quiet for a moment.]

I could...show you your friend. With my powers intact. But that would be if you wanted that.

[hellahighwater]

Show her to me...? [ Her voice catches again. ] Like, in my dreams?

[ ... ]

I...don't know. Rachel showin' up in my dreams has never really...been a good thing.

[dokkalfheimr]

You could stay with her for as long as you wanted. Dreams and reality don't always have to remain separated.

Again, it would be nothing required of you. Just an option, should you want it.

[hellahighwater]

[ To see Rachel? To talk with her again? ]

...Would she be able to talk to me? To...answer questions? Would she know things that...the real Rachel did?

[ To tell her what she did wrong. Why she wasn't good enough. Why Rachel needed someone else. ]

[dokkalfheimr]

Anyone I could create in such a way would be able to live with you for as long as they wanted, and would converse with you in ways that they always have. But...

[She's quiet for a moment.]

I could always recreate my brother, should I so choose. To spend time with him, to have him back with me. So I could make him smile again. But I...

There's a reason why I do not.

[hellahighwater]

...'Cause it wouldn't really be him.

[ That's what she was afraid of. ]

It sounds too good to be true, so... [ She shakes her head. ] Rachel... She's been gone a lot longer than I realized. I should...let her rest.

[dokkalfheimr]

I understand.

[...]

I don't know what I'll do when I leave this place. About Freyr. Maybe I'll recreate him for a short while, just so I could speak to him again. Whether real or not, I don't want the last time we spoke to be...

[...Well. What it was.]

[hellahighwater]

You want one last good memory?

[ To chase willful ignorance... Despite being firm on not wanting an illusion, she can't help but wonder... ]

...I can't blame you. Even if it's not real.

[dokkalfheimr]

Being able to see him again would be worth it. Spending enough time and putting enough personal stake in one's dreams... One can make them their entire reality, should they so choose.

[hellahighwater]

[ Chloe can feel the night air on her skin. She's so aware of everything around her. Could it be like this there too...? ]

Isn't that...dangerous?

[dokkalfheimr]

Arguably so.

At the same time, I cannot say I don't understand why it happens.

[hellahighwater]

[ ... ]

Yeah. Yeah, that's... Me too.