god does it feel good to have that flowing back in his veins, even if it's not quite there. temenos hears owner's voice and smiles a little himself because yeah. good, it's good to know it's not just him.
the thrumming rattling is now especially worth analyzing, and the vines above his head are equally foreboding. great! great. it reminds temenos, immediately, of manymaws, which was a not-exactly-pleasant fight to have, but he'll feel a lot better about having to face some sort of horrible flower nightmare creature when he has the ability to smite it to death, so. temenos very subtly steps a little larger, putting himself just barely in front of todomatsu as the walk. not overtly so, but protective nonetheless: his gaze tracks upwards to the vines, then back to the crowd. ]
You'll see, Kazuki. Stay close.
[ he could just give him like, an answer, but there's no guarantee it's going to stay. the magical feeling of aelfric's light is flickering, not quite strong enough that he's ready to just assume it will be perfect, so better not to get his hopes up, for now.
is there a light at the end of this tunnel yet? ]
Edited (changes my icon to suit better ) 2024-03-05 19:06 (UTC)
[ looks up at the vines like ugghhhh god is this going to be a man-eating plant situation, he doesn't want to deal with this... hopefully it's not a cannibal and his pretty flowery outfit will make him look less appetizing.
he's definitely going to keep alert to any moving parts as they get closer to the end of the tunnel where they might not be separated from it by glass anymore. ]
[ maybe they can feed the racists to the evil plants yay......
but he will also keep an eye out, keeping an eye on the other guests to see who might be be reacting more to this than others, mostly in case they need to uhhh. watch out for them in particular.
but uhhhh yea between the vines moving and that terrible feeling, he does inch a little closer to the group. do any of the other guests pay attention to the vines... is this normal... ]
[ don't be enigmatic... damn... "you're doing that" damn...
anyways, some of the guests do notice without seeing that you're looking up. it's a subtle movement that doesn't draw too many eyes, but some are paying attention. the more nervous pick up their pace; those on the cusp of excited throes don't see a damn thing, and most are already in the atrium ahead; but there are some that pay it no mind, either because they don't notice or because they don't seem to care.
the announcer doesn't care, because his gaze flicks up, then forward again as he whisks himself and his silks into the atrium ahead. the light at the end of the tunnel embraces him and brings him out into a more open area.
fortunately, it's still enclosed! as you continue forward, you're brought out into a beautiful glass structure that's been built up in the thick of the garden life. it has room enough for two small stages - one is where the announcer is heading, the other is where the harpist is going to set up - and there's those small, if tall, tables for people to stand around. most of the plantlife has been kept back from the glass walls of the atrium, giving an open view into the garden.
you're in a slight valley or overgrown crater, it seems, surrounded by beautiful trees that sway in a wind you can't feel while within the confines of the crystaline cage you've spent maybe thirty minutes walking to. every bough is filled with flower buds, luscious pinks and pure whites and delicate yellows, unbloomed. from every tree around you hang glass and metal terrariums, ivy and vines and unbloomed flowers also spilling out from within. there appear to be pieces of art, statues, placed in each terrarium, though it's hard to get a good look at them as they sway slowly in the wind, dappled light casting obscuring shadows here and there - they seem to be moss covered, and each has a different form. ]
[ well, this would be beautiful if it wasn't so deeply ominous.
as they make it to the main area, temenos immediately starts looking around, taking in the surroundings - keeping his movements small, at least. he follows the announcer's movements with his eyes, watching the harpist settle, and then looks out at the terrariums.
how big are they? what do you mean by different form... im so scared...... those catch his attention, first. is there a table they can stop at that's not too far from the exit, just in case? ]
[ ok, well, the glass is a good thing, probably... unless it's meant to keep them in rather than keep the vines out... hm. definitely still very wary!!!
to be clear, when you say "most of the plantlife" is outside, that means some of it is inside with them? is that the case with the trees with the terrariums or are those still on the other side? ]
Ah! How pretty! Are we going to get to see them all blossom at the same time, do you think?
[ he's pretty sure plants don't usually work like that... maybe the harpist's going to fucking snake charm them or something. ]
is there anything different about here like temperature-wise? more sweaty? also, what is the guard situation over here now? is it still the same amount they have been walking with the whole time, or is it more guarded inside here? ]
[ hm. there's no real centerpiece in here? it's just the hanging terrariums?
kazuki glances over at the stage like. should he be up there. everyone can see he has this guitar, is it too out of place for him to hang out back here with the rest of this group
is there. another exit anywhere. is the tunnel they came out of the only one. ]
[ the trees with the terrariums are outside, yes! there are some decorative plants the same as there were in the gathering hall that you were in before, nothing nearly as fancy but just sort of filling in space where there's not tablets or people.
the atrium is a comfortable temperature, much better than it is outside. it actually causes the lower parts of the glass to fog a bit, but there's something keeping it from fogging the entirety of the windows - it'd ruin the view if that were the case.
guardwise, the situation is... about the same as outside. there are more here than there were before you entered the tunnel, but still fewer than before you entered the building. about ten rather than somewhere just over a dozen. they're not paying too much attention to anyone in particular, just milling around in disguise as guests with a pair standing by the stage that the announcer heads towards.
no centerpiece in the atrium! the hanging terrariums seem to be the main focus, and they're spread out. there are some other exits, but it's hard to tell where they exit out to - they're smaller tunnels that dip into the garden. maybe to let people enjoy the view?
"what about the terrariums?" oh, i didn't forget.
each and every one of them is large enough to house a person, although the size of the person could vary. some of them appear to have glass in a few of their panels still, where others are broken shards of glass or just lacking them completely - very few still have fully intact glass on every frame, which is what allows the plants within to spill out in a mockery of the hanging landscape outside when you arrived.
it also lets you see the contents more clearly, and the... ah, forms that are within.
each and every single "art" installation could very well be a statue! it's certainly an interesting choice, to say the least. faces contorted in agony, begging, clawing at their own faces or bodies, giving up and succumbing to tragedy that you cannot quite guess at when they're hanging so far up above you.
hands reaching out, or dangling out as if they were trying to crawl out in their final moments. flesh has turned to bark, and branches extend out from their bodies, their hands, their fingers and toes.
some of the terrariums are empty, upon closer inspection. but if you look down below them, you'll find misshapen figures reaching out, crawling across the ground, trying to stand, as if they had fallen from their prison and tried to seek salvation below. hair has withered and been replaced by falling strands like a weeping willow on many of them, so long that it very nearly hides their faces, save for the bioluminscent glow of their eyes, their tortured mouths, their noses. some are trying to cover their faces, though whether it's to weep or to protect themselves... who knows.
where their hearts would be is a single, glowing flower, already bloomed in an innocent yellow or pink.
they don't look like statues, but moreso like part of the landscape. they look like - kaldena, really, like twisted, horrifying things gone wrong, like too much magic and darkness overloading the system, leaving behind the remnants of something horrible, something falling apart. the agonized pull of their mouths. the tortured despair of someone trying to run. suddenly, the vines moving from before are twice as concerning.
temenos pauses where he's standing, and makes sure that todomatsu stops, also. they need to look at these from a safe distance, and not overreact. twenty years, the people in the hallway had said, twenty years of this kind of thing. and these are only the newest ones. that brings up the next question - what happens to make them blossom? is that a heartseed?
any relaxation that came from having his magic back is back on guard, though he doesn't outwardly react beyond that. are the other guests looking closer at the terrariums or just waiting for something to happen? they can't get closer to investigate if it feels out of line. they have to be careful. he gazes at the mockery of the gentle glowing flowers, and just sharpens his gaze, white knuckling his staff but saying nothing. how's the magic feeling in here? oppressive? bad? what's the vibe. ]
[ hahahahaha yikesarooni!!!!! okay! it's a good thing he's established that his character doesn't know shit because he just kind of instinctively claps a hand over his mouth while his other arm tightens its hold. ]
Ah...
[ none of these faces seem familiar from what they're able to make out, do they? are these just generic tortured bark people??? ]
his first instinct is to want to go to these poor beings and reach out to them, to try to touch their bark and see if there is anything left inside. but owner knows this is not the time or the place for that, and it would likely out them immediately, so he just looks them over.
is it possible to tell if some look like they've been here longer than others? or is all wood horror people the same. also, for the flower hearts, is there anything that seems off with them or are they simply... glowing... ]
[ kazuki freezes in place, eyes locked on one of the figures as it crawls along the floor. it's like a horror show, something he could have never imagined, and he immediately wants to go back to five minutes ago when he didn't know a thing about it. ]
[ welcome to my fuckhaus! you just had to get to this part. :)
there are three different varieties of guests, currently:
the first is the group that would be on the edge of their seats, if there were any seats in the atrium. they're excitedly gathered the closest to the glass, wanting to see, wanting to get closer and gawk, some of them talking about what Blossoming Ceremony this one was from, or that one, or marveling at the growth of it with an excitement towards what the next prospects will bring. the second are the calmer ones, impassive or even disgusted if you look close enough. the queen bee belongs to this group, and especially the latter, sipping coldly at her champagne.
the third are those that would also like to go back five minutes in time, where they had no idea about this, where they were perfectly naive.
the vibes are terrible here, to the point that even the normies will be able to feel the rolling magic that comes from... beyond the most immediate of the hanging terrariums. from deeper within the gardens.
fortunately for all of you, none of the faces look familiar! wouldn't that be wild if you saw someone that you knew here? some people glance over at todomatsu and kazuki for their reactions, a very kind of first time? reaction that varies from pitying to sympathetic, like they were there, once, too.
some of the wood horror people look like they've been there longer, yes! the further back you go - in the direction of the other, smaller exits - the older their terrariums and growth look. eventually you can't really see anything more than shadows with pinpricks of faint light, though. there is definitely something hinky with the flowers, though it's faint. not very strong. ]
Ahhh, everyone! [ the announcer is talking again. he's the host of the event, maybe? ] We're about to begin. I know many of you are excited for what's to come, and I am, too - we'll be having a very exquisite bloom this Blossoming Ceremony! We're so fortunate to have gotten more prospects this year, more than the Gardens have had in some time. We just can't wait to bring them in.
when todomatsu flinches, temenos bolsters the best that he can, being sure to stay steady for him - in fact, he even adjusts his arm and leans in a little as if soothing his worry like a very good uncle. ]
... I imagine we are about to watch this happen. [ based on the discussions - based on the announcer, too. it's starting to make a lot more sense, now. we just can't wait to bring them in, the announcer says, like this is farce is any kind of normal. a 'blossoming'.
still. maybe with his magic back, there's something to be done. this kind of rot and curse might be too much for the ones that are older. for many of these, really, they may be a lost cause; it might be like rita, where a creature that's still alive might be begging to just be put out of its misery. are they all like. moving? or are they frozen in place or dead. temenos is no apothecary, but a curse is a curse, and maybe...
... well. already, he's starting to make a mental plan, gaze flicking briefly to owner over todomatsu's head (despite the fact that owner is like two feet tall) and then off to kazuki again, shifting his stance just a little to try and block some of the worst of the closest one with his vestments. this is bad. ]
Guess the whole thing about people getting queasy makes sense now...
[ despite the increasingly bad feelings in this nightmare room, he does seem to relax just a tiny bit when temenos leans in, though it's admittedly less because of the gesture and more because it coincides with the announcer's "bring them in" remark, which to him means that at least they're not at any risk of having this done to them. like, he's truly sorry to whatever unfortunate people get chosen for this shit, but he's not going to pretend he's as concerned for a bunch of strangers as he is for himself.
he turns his gaze to the announcer, because he really doesn't want to keep looking at these displays if he can help it. ]
[ well. at the very least it's good to see that not everyone seems thrilled about this, but on the other hand... they're still here? why are they here if they don't approve? he has so many questions about what is going on here and the culture that is making it happen every year, but it's not like they can ask.
he takes a small step in kazuki's direction, just to close the distance between them a bit. even though it doesn't sound like it'll be happening to them, you never know what might happen.
he tries to check if they can hear adrastea, does any noise come through, or is it still nothing? ]
[ despite the sense of dread winding around him, something about that word brings a fierce disgust bubbling up in the pit of kazuki's stomach. he may not understand what's going on, but he doesn't need to to know it's wrong on so many levels. and with no one else to blame, his gaze settles on the announcer, burning with anger, knuckles white from the grip on the guitar case's shoulder strap.
for a quick moment, he glances at owner as if to ask, "do we really have to stay for this?" he would like to leave, actually. this is already too fucked up. ]
[ the tortured souls are... presumably dead! none of them move, save for those gently rocked by the wind that passes through the trees as it sinks into the valley you're cradled in. at the very least, they're frozen, so it's hard to say if rescue is beyond them or if they're still, truly, reaching for it.
every now and then, there's still the crackle of static in their ears when they try to reach out - but, sometimes, adrastea's filtered voice makes it in short bursts. where..you? is the clearest thing that comes through.
the announcer does not feel kazuki's ire, and instead spreads his arms wide as... on the other side of the glass, people in protective suits with rebreathers on their helmets, ushering in figures that have hoods over their heads. there is a person in a suit for each figure, and they arrange the figures in a neat line.
there are eight of them in total. a hush falls over the crowd, a mix of sick excitement and dread fills the air. ]
The guilty are given salvation in the eternity of the Hanging Gardens! Each of them has been accused of grievous crimes, but they will witness their rebirth in the bloom as they become one with the heartseed itself!
temenos can put together two and two, at first, because todomatsu looks like his brothers, and there's this slow, menacing feeling of dread. he's starting to try and calculate, wildly, what he's about to see underneath one of those hoods. throné? ort? one of the other travelers? gods forbid, gods forbid, who of his friends could be considered the sort to commit a 'crime' by these people, and then.
and then the hood comes off.
do you ever see something that's just. that's just so illogical, that you have to laugh? that you have to stare? the noise that escapes temenos' mouth is so quiet it could almost be an exhale, as his entire world bottoms out, half a laugh strangled off into nothing as his breath cuts off.
first of all - it's the sight of him. crick wellsley, golden blonde hair, wide, beseechingly bright blue eyes. crick wellsley, little lamb, godsblade newly anointed, desperate do gooder, his erstwhile sidekick. temenos hasn't seen crick since - (since stormhail) -- and yet, here he is. not only that, but he stands accused of a crime?
crick wellsley?
it's - it's impossible, it is so completely impossible that temenos' brain restarts itself almost violently. two urges crash together. the first is the emotional, gut-wrenching instinct to do something. to stop crick from falling to the fate that rita did, that all these people around them did, to gods damn it to save him like he failed to do the last time. and then there's the part of him that's too clever by half, the part of him that grabs onto this false reality and tears it in half. the reminder that this is impossible, because not only is crick wellsley being accused of a crime,
but crick wellsley is dead. ]
-- This isn't real. [ he says, abruptly, under his breath, a hiss, and grabs tightly at his staff. salvation? give me a break. ]
[ quite frankly, todomatsu's immediate reaction to seeing his brothers' faces revealed one after the other is to panic and look around to see if anyone seems to have noticed that his face looks exactly like theirs underneath the makeup. it's only after that that he deigns to consider their situation, which...
...well, honestly, they're all shit. they're definitely all guilty of a laundry list of sins. in fact, they already got judged and sent to hell for an eternity of torture once! if he's the only one who managed to escape it this time, that's probably how it should be! he's a good boy compared to them. he does his best, sometimes.
but he remembers, then, that this isn't their universe. that this isn't their genre. that dahut died and stayed dead. that he hates sleeping by himself so much. that he got copies of his own clothes in all his brothers' colors this week so he could leave them around his room and feel just a little bit less lonely.
he hears temenos, and he nods. it's not real. probably.
but everything else this past almost-two-weeks has been so much more real than anything he ever thought he'd have to face, so...
should he really be okay with this?
h-hey, akatsuka-sensei. what is he supposed to do here? ]
okay, yeah, rei has also done things that would probably be considered as crimes, so this is another instance of going, "i would believe it, actually." and, generally, owner is fairly used to sweeping in and getting his guests out of trouble. it's surprising, how they all tend to wander right into things that would get them killed the second he looks away. what a silly child.
temenos mentions it's not real, and owner notes that also makes sense, maybe, although from his side he has no idea why temenos is making that claim. but then his gaze falls to rei's legs, and okay. that is odd. ]
Wow. Isn't this exciting?
[ his tone is even.
he places his hands behind his back, but still inside the cape. he lets his fingers touch the sheath of his blade, to remind himself that it's still and ready. just in case. ]
[ oh, does that sound familiar. it's almost like he can hear that tinny, self-righteous voice echoing in the announcer's, and it makes his blood boil. even down to the victims with their faces covered, it's just like before, the footage burned into his memory. there's no way that they could be here, in the far reaches of who the hell knows where space, but they have the exact same playbook.
purging sins, welcoming rebirth, a better world - what horseshit.
and then the hoods come off, and it's like someone dropped a bucket of ice water over kazuki's head, enough that he doesn't hear the others at all, let alone adrastea. his focus narrows in on a familiar face, one he hasn't seen in nearly a month now, and whispers, ]
Akito...?
[ it makes sense, doesn't it? that he'd be targeted for this. whatever akito did, it was serious enough for him to disappear. if ichika hadn't been so easy to read, kazuki never would have known something he was involved in something dangerous at all.
ichika had said he would come home safe. she wouldn't have lied, right? not about this. not about akito.
[ how exciting! how marvelous! the murmur in the crowd is a ripple and thrum on its own, a mix of thrill and nausea alike. whatever reason the latter group has for coming here - whatever societal standard there is to uphold - they make no move to stop this. they just watch, transfixed, as the announcer spins with a flourish and then steps aside. he gives a round of applause all on his own, all fanfare. ]
Simply wonderful!
[ on the other side of the glass, todomatsu gets to see his brothers inch closer and closer to one another, as best they can with their hands bound... in front of them, all five of them. they lean on one another for support, confusion, anger, fear, the whole gamut. the six of you really have been through it, haven't you? despite your dedication to living your NEET lifestyles to your varying degrees, they're your flesh and blood. your older brothers.
you know them as much as you know yourself, for all their flaws and all the annoyance that they've caused you over the years. you know that osomatsu's temper must be rearing its head, that karamatsu is trying to stay cool and cocky in the moment, can see that choromatsu's wearing every reaction on his sleeve, that ichimatsu is locking up and withdrawing inwards, and that jyushimatsu doesn't seem to realize just how badly things have turned south. but they gravitate together as the only thing any of them knows in this moment.
separate from this cluster, rei struggles against the bindings that have his arms trapped behind his back. but he bares his teeth in a threat, a facsimile of a smile, saying something that... none of you can hear, on the other side of the glass. it might be soundproof. but he speaks to the attendant that he has, thrashing back and nearly striking them in the masked face with the back of his head. such a troublemaker as always, owner, even as he stands again before you.
akito flinches away from rei as he fights, bumping into the knightly figure next to him and looking... nervous. remorseful, even. like part of him thinks maybe he does belong in this situation, committed to it, but that it shouldn't have gotten this far, that this isn't quite right. he's also saying something, vehement, his glasses skewed on his face. you could almost, almost make it out by watching him, even if you can't hear him. surely this isn't what was supposed to happen! none of this should have been what happened! and kazuki, your sister wouldn't lie to you. surely she wouldn't. not about him. not about this.
and, oh, crick. paragon of goodness, who had simply wanted to find answers and bring the truth to light. he helps to steady akito as best he can, but like rei his arms are bound behind him. he doesn't fight, he doesn't plea, but he does seem to be trying to make a case here, turning towards the eight individuals that have brought them out there. he doesn't look furious, temenos, but he does look righteous. (he looks alive) he looks like that newly anointed sanctum knight that stood before a heretic, willing to step into battle for the sake of those who couldn't fight for themselves. ]
Our Blossoming Ceremony begins, ladies and gentlemen!
[ and the eight of them are hit in the back of the knees, brought to the ground in a row. another thrum pulses - but there's not a delay, this time. tha thump.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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god does it feel good to have that flowing back in his veins, even if it's not quite there. temenos hears owner's voice and smiles a little himself because yeah. good, it's good to know it's not just him.
the thrumming rattling is now especially worth analyzing, and the vines above his head are equally foreboding. great! great. it reminds temenos, immediately, of manymaws, which was a not-exactly-pleasant fight to have, but he'll feel a lot better about having to face some sort of horrible flower nightmare creature when he has the ability to smite it to death, so. temenos very subtly steps a little larger, putting himself just barely in front of todomatsu as the walk. not overtly so, but protective nonetheless: his gaze tracks upwards to the vines, then back to the crowd. ]
You'll see, Kazuki. Stay close.
[ he could just give him like, an answer, but there's no guarantee it's going to stay. the magical feeling of aelfric's light is flickering, not quite strong enough that he's ready to just assume it will be perfect, so better not to get his hopes up, for now.
is there a light at the end of this tunnel yet? ]
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he's definitely going to keep alert to any moving parts as they get closer to the end of the tunnel where they might not be separated from it by glass anymore. ]
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but he will also keep an eye out, keeping an eye on the other guests to see who might be be reacting more to this than others, mostly in case they need to uhhh. watch out for them in particular.
otherwise, it's just keep!! walking!!! ]
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but uhhhh yea between the vines moving and that terrible feeling, he does inch a little closer to the group. do any of the other guests pay attention to the vines... is this normal... ]
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anyways, some of the guests do notice without seeing that you're looking up. it's a subtle movement that doesn't draw too many eyes, but some are paying attention. the more nervous pick up their pace; those on the cusp of excited throes don't see a damn thing, and most are already in the atrium ahead; but there are some that pay it no mind, either because they don't notice or because they don't seem to care.
the announcer doesn't care, because his gaze flicks up, then forward again as he whisks himself and his silks into the atrium ahead. the light at the end of the tunnel embraces him and brings him out into a more open area.
fortunately, it's still enclosed! as you continue forward, you're brought out into a beautiful glass structure that's been built up in the thick of the garden life. it has room enough for two small stages - one is where the announcer is heading, the other is where the harpist is going to set up - and there's those small, if tall, tables for people to stand around. most of the plantlife has been kept back from the glass walls of the atrium, giving an open view into the garden.
you're in a slight valley or overgrown crater, it seems, surrounded by beautiful trees that sway in a wind you can't feel while within the confines of the crystaline cage you've spent maybe thirty minutes walking to. every bough is filled with flower buds, luscious pinks and pure whites and delicate yellows, unbloomed. from every tree around you hang glass and metal terrariums, ivy and vines and unbloomed flowers also spilling out from within. there appear to be pieces of art, statues, placed in each terrarium, though it's hard to get a good look at them as they sway slowly in the wind, dappled light casting obscuring shadows here and there - they seem to be moss covered, and each has a different form. ]
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as they make it to the main area, temenos immediately starts looking around, taking in the surroundings - keeping his movements small, at least. he follows the announcer's movements with his eyes, watching the harpist settle, and then looks out at the terrariums.
how big are they? what do you mean by different form... im so scared...... those catch his attention, first. is there a table they can stop at that's not too far from the exit, just in case? ]
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to be clear, when you say "most of the plantlife" is outside, that means some of it is inside with them? is that the case with the trees with the terrariums or are those still on the other side? ]
Ah! How pretty! Are we going to get to see them all blossom at the same time, do you think?
[ he's pretty sure plants don't usually work like that... maybe the harpist's going to fucking snake charm them or something. ]
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is there anything different about here like temperature-wise? more sweaty? also, what is the guard situation over here now? is it still the same amount they have been walking with the whole time, or is it more guarded inside here? ]
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kazuki glances over at the stage like. should he be up there. everyone can see he has this guitar, is it too out of place for him to hang out back here with the rest of this group
is there. another exit anywhere. is the tunnel they came out of the only one. ]
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the atrium is a comfortable temperature, much better than it is outside. it actually causes the lower parts of the glass to fog a bit, but there's something keeping it from fogging the entirety of the windows - it'd ruin the view if that were the case.
guardwise, the situation is... about the same as outside. there are more here than there were before you entered the tunnel, but still fewer than before you entered the building. about ten rather than somewhere just over a dozen. they're not paying too much attention to anyone in particular, just milling around in disguise as guests with a pair standing by the stage that the announcer heads towards.
no centerpiece in the atrium! the hanging terrariums seem to be the main focus, and they're spread out. there are some other exits, but it's hard to tell where they exit out to - they're smaller tunnels that dip into the garden. maybe to let people enjoy the view?
"what about the terrariums?" oh, i didn't forget.
it also lets you see the contents more clearly, and the... ah, forms that are within.
each and every single "art" installation could very well be a statue! it's certainly an interesting choice, to say the least. faces contorted in agony, begging, clawing at their own faces or bodies, giving up and succumbing to tragedy that you cannot quite guess at when they're hanging so far up above you.
hands reaching out, or dangling out as if they were trying to crawl out in their final moments. flesh has turned to bark, and branches extend out from their bodies, their hands, their fingers and toes.
some of the terrariums are empty, upon closer inspection. but if you look down below them, you'll find misshapen figures reaching out, crawling across the ground, trying to stand, as if they had fallen from their prison and tried to seek salvation below. hair has withered and been replaced by falling strands like a weeping willow on many of them, so long that it very nearly hides their faces, save for the bioluminscent glow of their eyes, their tortured mouths, their noses. some are trying to cover their faces, though whether it's to weep or to protect themselves... who knows.
where their hearts would be is a single, glowing flower, already bloomed in an innocent yellow or pink.
welcome to the Hanging Gardens. ]
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they don't look like statues, but moreso like part of the landscape. they look like - kaldena, really, like twisted, horrifying things gone wrong, like too much magic and darkness overloading the system, leaving behind the remnants of something horrible, something falling apart. the agonized pull of their mouths. the tortured despair of someone trying to run. suddenly, the vines moving from before are twice as concerning.
temenos pauses where he's standing, and makes sure that todomatsu stops, also. they need to look at these from a safe distance, and not overreact. twenty years, the people in the hallway had said, twenty years of this kind of thing. and these are only the newest ones. that brings up the next question - what happens to make them blossom? is that a heartseed?
any relaxation that came from having his magic back is back on guard, though he doesn't outwardly react beyond that. are the other guests looking closer at the terrariums or just waiting for something to happen? they can't get closer to investigate if it feels out of line. they have to be careful. he gazes at the mockery of the gentle glowing flowers, and just sharpens his gaze, white knuckling his staff but saying nothing. how's the magic feeling in here? oppressive? bad? what's the vibe. ]
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Ah...
[ none of these faces seem familiar from what they're able to make out, do they? are these just generic tortured bark people??? ]
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[ gruesome weird it is, then.
his first instinct is to want to go to these poor beings and reach out to them, to try to touch their bark and see if there is anything left inside. but owner knows this is not the time or the place for that, and it would likely out them immediately, so he just looks them over.
is it possible to tell if some look like they've been here longer than others? or is all wood horror people the same. also, for the flower hearts, is there anything that seems off with them or are they simply... glowing... ]
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Wha... What is this...?
[ voice low, trembling just a touch. ]
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there are three different varieties of guests, currently:
the first is the group that would be on the edge of their seats, if there were any seats in the atrium. they're excitedly gathered the closest to the glass, wanting to see, wanting to get closer and gawk, some of them talking about what Blossoming Ceremony this one was from, or that one, or marveling at the growth of it with an excitement towards what the next prospects will bring. the second are the calmer ones, impassive or even disgusted if you look close enough. the queen bee belongs to this group, and especially the latter, sipping coldly at her champagne.
the third are those that would also like to go back five minutes in time, where they had no idea about this, where they were perfectly naive.
the vibes are terrible here, to the point that even the normies will be able to feel the rolling magic that comes from... beyond the most immediate of the hanging terrariums. from deeper within the gardens.
fortunately for all of you, none of the faces look familiar! wouldn't that be wild if you saw someone that you knew here? some people glance over at todomatsu and kazuki for their reactions, a very kind of first time? reaction that varies from pitying to sympathetic, like they were there, once, too.
some of the wood horror people look like they've been there longer, yes! the further back you go - in the direction of the other, smaller exits - the older their terrariums and growth look. eventually you can't really see anything more than shadows with pinpricks of faint light, though. there is definitely something hinky with the flowers, though it's faint. not very strong. ]
Ahhh, everyone! [ the announcer is talking again. he's the host of the event, maybe? ] We're about to begin. I know many of you are excited for what's to come, and I am, too - we'll be having a very exquisite bloom this Blossoming Ceremony! We're so fortunate to have gotten more prospects this year, more than the Gardens have had in some time. We just can't wait to bring them in.
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when todomatsu flinches, temenos bolsters the best that he can, being sure to stay steady for him - in fact, he even adjusts his arm and leans in a little as if soothing his worry like a very good uncle. ]
... I imagine we are about to watch this happen. [ based on the discussions - based on the announcer, too. it's starting to make a lot more sense, now. we just can't wait to bring them in, the announcer says, like this is farce is any kind of normal. a 'blossoming'.
still. maybe with his magic back, there's something to be done. this kind of rot and curse might be too much for the ones that are older. for many of these, really, they may be a lost cause; it might be like rita, where a creature that's still alive might be begging to just be put out of its misery. are they all like. moving? or are they frozen in place or dead. temenos is no apothecary, but a curse is a curse, and maybe...
... well. already, he's starting to make a mental plan, gaze flicking briefly to owner over todomatsu's head (despite the fact that owner is like two feet tall) and then off to kazuki again, shifting his stance just a little to try and block some of the worst of the closest one with his vestments. this is bad. ]
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Guess the whole thing about people getting queasy makes sense now...
[ despite the increasingly bad feelings in this nightmare room, he does seem to relax just a tiny bit when temenos leans in, though it's admittedly less because of the gesture and more because it coincides with the announcer's "bring them in" remark, which to him means that at least they're not at any risk of having this done to them. like, he's truly sorry to whatever unfortunate people get chosen for this shit, but he's not going to pretend he's as concerned for a bunch of strangers as he is for himself.
he turns his gaze to the announcer, because he really doesn't want to keep looking at these displays if he can help it. ]
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he takes a small step in kazuki's direction, just to close the distance between them a bit. even though it doesn't sound like it'll be happening to them, you never know what might happen.
he tries to check if they can hear adrastea, does any noise come through, or is it still nothing? ]
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[ despite the sense of dread winding around him, something about that word brings a fierce disgust bubbling up in the pit of kazuki's stomach. he may not understand what's going on, but he doesn't need to to know it's wrong on so many levels. and with no one else to blame, his gaze settles on the announcer, burning with anger, knuckles white from the grip on the guitar case's shoulder strap.
for a quick moment, he glances at owner as if to ask, "do we really have to stay for this?" he would like to leave, actually. this is already too fucked up. ]
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every now and then, there's still the crackle of static in their ears when they try to reach out - but, sometimes, adrastea's filtered voice makes it in short bursts. where..you? is the clearest thing that comes through.
the announcer does not feel kazuki's ire, and instead spreads his arms wide as... on the other side of the glass, people in protective suits with rebreathers on their helmets, ushering in figures that have hoods over their heads. there is a person in a suit for each figure, and they arrange the figures in a neat line.
there are eight of them in total. a hush falls over the crowd, a mix of sick excitement and dread fills the air. ]
The guilty are given salvation in the eternity of the Hanging Gardens! Each of them has been accused of grievous crimes, but they will witness their rebirth in the bloom as they become one with the heartseed itself!
[ and then, the hoods are all pulled off. ]
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temenos can put together two and two, at first, because todomatsu looks like his brothers, and there's this slow, menacing feeling of dread. he's starting to try and calculate, wildly, what he's about to see underneath one of those hoods. throné? ort? one of the other travelers? gods forbid, gods forbid, who of his friends could be considered the sort to commit a 'crime' by these people, and then.
and then the hood comes off.
do you ever see something that's just. that's just so illogical, that you have to laugh? that you have to stare? the noise that escapes temenos' mouth is so quiet it could almost be an exhale, as his entire world bottoms out, half a laugh strangled off into nothing as his breath cuts off.
first of all - it's the sight of him. crick wellsley, golden blonde hair, wide, beseechingly bright blue eyes. crick wellsley, little lamb, godsblade newly anointed, desperate do gooder, his erstwhile sidekick. temenos hasn't seen crick since - (since stormhail) -- and yet, here he is. not only that, but he stands accused of a crime?
crick wellsley?
it's - it's impossible, it is so completely impossible that temenos' brain restarts itself almost violently. two urges crash together. the first is the emotional, gut-wrenching instinct to do something. to stop crick from falling to the fate that rita did, that all these people around them did, to gods damn it to save him like he failed to do the last time. and then there's the part of him that's too clever by half, the part of him that grabs onto this false reality and tears it in half. the reminder that this is impossible, because not only is crick wellsley being accused of a crime,
but crick wellsley is dead. ]
-- This isn't real. [ he says, abruptly, under his breath, a hiss, and grabs tightly at his staff. salvation? give me a break. ]
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...well, honestly, they're all shit. they're definitely all guilty of a laundry list of sins. in fact, they already got judged and sent to hell for an eternity of torture once! if he's the only one who managed to escape it this time, that's probably how it should be! he's a good boy compared to them. he does his best, sometimes.
but he remembers, then, that this isn't their universe. that this isn't their genre. that dahut died and stayed dead. that he hates sleeping by himself so much. that he got copies of his own clothes in all his brothers' colors this week so he could leave them around his room and feel just a little bit less lonely.
he hears temenos, and he nods. it's not real. probably.
but everything else this past almost-two-weeks has been so much more real than anything he ever thought he'd have to face, so...
should he really be okay with this?
h-hey, akatsuka-sensei. what is he supposed to do here? ]
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okay, yeah, rei has also done things that would probably be considered as crimes, so this is another instance of going, "i would believe it, actually." and, generally, owner is fairly used to sweeping in and getting his guests out of trouble. it's surprising, how they all tend to wander right into things that would get them killed the second he looks away. what a silly child.
temenos mentions it's not real, and owner notes that also makes sense, maybe, although from his side he has no idea why temenos is making that claim. but then his gaze falls to rei's legs, and okay. that is odd. ]
Wow. Isn't this exciting?
[ his tone is even.
he places his hands behind his back, but still inside the cape. he lets his fingers touch the sheath of his blade, to remind himself that it's still and ready. just in case. ]
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purging sins, welcoming rebirth, a better world - what horseshit.
and then the hoods come off, and it's like someone dropped a bucket of ice water over kazuki's head, enough that he doesn't hear the others at all, let alone adrastea. his focus narrows in on a familiar face, one he hasn't seen in nearly a month now, and whispers, ]
Akito...?
[ it makes sense, doesn't it? that he'd be targeted for this. whatever akito did, it was serious enough for him to disappear. if ichika hadn't been so easy to read, kazuki never would have known something he was involved in something dangerous at all.
ichika had said he would come home safe. she wouldn't have lied, right? not about this. not about akito.
...right?
so how is he... ]
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Simply wonderful!
[ on the other side of the glass, todomatsu gets to see his brothers inch closer and closer to one another, as best they can with their hands bound... in front of them, all five of them. they lean on one another for support, confusion, anger, fear, the whole gamut. the six of you really have been through it, haven't you? despite your dedication to living your NEET lifestyles to your varying degrees, they're your flesh and blood. your older brothers.
you know them as much as you know yourself, for all their flaws and all the annoyance that they've caused you over the years. you know that osomatsu's temper must be rearing its head, that karamatsu is trying to stay cool and cocky in the moment, can see that choromatsu's wearing every reaction on his sleeve, that ichimatsu is locking up and withdrawing inwards, and that jyushimatsu doesn't seem to realize just how badly things have turned south. but they gravitate together as the only thing any of them knows in this moment.
separate from this cluster, rei struggles against the bindings that have his arms trapped behind his back. but he bares his teeth in a threat, a facsimile of a smile, saying something that... none of you can hear, on the other side of the glass. it might be soundproof. but he speaks to the attendant that he has, thrashing back and nearly striking them in the masked face with the back of his head. such a troublemaker as always, owner, even as he stands again before you.
akito flinches away from rei as he fights, bumping into the knightly figure next to him and looking... nervous. remorseful, even. like part of him thinks maybe he does belong in this situation, committed to it, but that it shouldn't have gotten this far, that this isn't quite right. he's also saying something, vehement, his glasses skewed on his face. you could almost, almost make it out by watching him, even if you can't hear him. surely this isn't what was supposed to happen! none of this should have been what happened! and kazuki, your sister wouldn't lie to you. surely she wouldn't. not about him. not about this.
and, oh, crick. paragon of goodness, who had simply wanted to find answers and bring the truth to light. he helps to steady akito as best he can, but like rei his arms are bound behind him. he doesn't fight, he doesn't plea, but he does seem to be trying to make a case here, turning towards the eight individuals that have brought them out there. he doesn't look furious, temenos, but he does look righteous. (he looks alive) he looks like that newly anointed sanctum knight that stood before a heretic, willing to step into battle for the sake of those who couldn't fight for themselves. ]
Our Blossoming Ceremony begins, ladies and gentlemen!
[ and the eight of them are hit in the back of the knees, brought to the ground in a row. another thrum pulses - but there's not a delay, this time. tha thump.
another. tha thump.
like a heartbeat. ]
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