Destiny Village ~ X-Eye Cauldron

[unrepentantAuthor]

That was the kind of phrasing a particularly condescending townie might use. Celeste wasn't like that, though, so perhaps he meant it literally....

"Feral is what civilised folks call my ma's people. The Escarpa Clan are nomadic, light on possessions, don't hold with land ownership, that sorta thing. And they fight. They fight a hell of a lot. But higher thought and language, that's there just the same as with any townie."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Ah, sorry about that, didn't mean to sound like I was demeaning you."

One thing bugged Celeste about that, though: He'd had been almost certain Brisa's world had ferals. He tried to recall what had given him that impression, and eventually remembered. "Then... Hold on, you hunt, correct? We did that when we first arrived." Wow, that Rattata feels like an eternity ago. "Do you have to hunt each other? Nip's world is fucked up like that."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa shook her head, grimacing, then grinned at Celeste's casual swearing. "Nah. We hunt wild 'mon. They ain't thinkin' people. No speech, not much in the way of sapience."

She shuddered. "...I don't envy Nip his life if that's how his folk survive."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Ah. So it's just a matter of what you call it. I see. We don't use the word feral for anyone sapient, so it's used for was you would the word wild instead."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa sighed. Another unavoidable communication error. "Gotcha. This is that thing again with Diyem's translation not accountin' fer colloquial verbiage. Many worlds, huh? You can take 'em."

She took a long draught of her mulled wine, enjoying the warming effect it had on her. "Seems like the Voidlands thing ain't spooked ya too much, at least. That's good. ...Everyone else handlin' it okay? Starr's been contrivin' to have me rest instead of engagin' with it. Said I don't gotta work myself straight back t'death to prove I'm okay."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Celeste let out a humourless sound not unlike a dry laugh. "Didn't happen to me. I mean, it screwed must of us up for a while, don't get me wrong, but it really should be me asking you that and not the other way around... Starr's probably right about that, too. We've proven we can gel along while you're off-duty, so cut yourself a break. You died. Take some time to recover."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa rubbed the back of her neck. Starr was right. Celeste was the next in a long line of people telling her to take it easy. Maybe one day she'd figure out how that was done.

"I guess. ...Just used to bein' able to take a lot more'n most folks and feelin' obligated to pull as much weight as I can. After all, there are people dependin' on us. But yeah, I'm tryin' not to burn out no more. I really am fine, though. Better'n I was before, even. I get along okay with my Shadow and I ain't perpetually suppressin' the need fer a good nap."

She grinned at Celeste and took another drink. It was true; she'd been snoozing more often, and it was treating her well. She didn't feel half as much like she was about to keel over all the damn time.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Glad to hear you're doing well being sent to the Voidlands and then having your Shadow split off you. Seems like most of the people who got sent there are... surprisingly fine with it."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

That . . . was true, wasn't it? Cabot was fine. Cynthian was more stable and confident. Vix was in touch with herself in a new way.

Owen...

"We all went through some kinda crisis. I guess Cabot handled it better'n the rest of us? His Shadow is capable of reason, just terse an' kinda uncompromisin'. I helped the others as best I could, an' some of 'em helped me. Now . . . I'm a bit like Owen. My Shadow an' I talk to each other a lil'."

Increasingly so.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Are your shadows different from Wishkeeper and Dave's shadow? The only shadow like that I've seen lately is Icetales'... Well, that plus Wishkeeper and Dave's. I haven't really spoken with any of the shadows. What's it like, being split? Is it like talking to yourself?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Again with Icetales. Those two were close, huh?

Brisa nodded. "Somethin' like that. At least fer me. I call mine 'Sombra'. She's just . . . me, with all my conceits and pretenses stripped away. My inner self." She sighed. "Turns out my inner self is kinda sassy, and utterly exhausted. I can bring her out at will, sometimes. Might do you some good to get familiar with the concept, if'n you're fixin' to spend time around Icetales' Shadow."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Celeste looked away. "I'm fine. Not planning to spend time around his shadow anyways..."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"You might not have a choice. Keo'keo has a mind of his own, and he's kinda defensive of our pal Icetales."

Icetales was unique for being a posse member who'd accompanied the dead willingly. Was that on Celeste's mind at all?

"I'm told he actually travelled to the Voidlands to offer help to us folks stuck there. I was indisposed at the time, I'm afraid, so I didn't get to see him while he was there, but I can't help but be impressed by a fella like that."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Celeste scoffed."Gave the living of us a good scare with it, too. One day we're both glad the other's alive and we promise not to go die on each other, the next he goes and fucking offs himself, gets turned into a statue, told Petram some vague, freaky message. I think it was..."

He lowered his voice into a distinctly wine-drunk impression of the Ninetales. "This is what must be done."

"Nobody knew what was going on."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa stifled a snorting chuckle at the impression of Icetales performed through Celeste's incredibly rapid inebriation.

"Yeah, that's... That sure sounds like him. It's too bad he didn't think to talk it through with y'all first, but I gather he weren't in danger from it. Watch yer wine, there, Celeste. I take it yer not used to drinkin'?"

Promise not to go die on each other. What does that sound like, huh?

Hmm.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Celeste wondered for a moment what prompted that comment... Oh, yeah. Impressions weren't normally his thing.

"No, not really used to it. Not much, anyways. They serve a lot more here than I'm used to. Never had any in this body, either, so it probably doesn't have any tolerance... Feels pretty funny. I'm just... like, talking about things. I don't know. Not really normal for me."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Yeah, you're a pretty reserved fella, least as far as I've seen. It's good to loosen the tongue a little, though. I've had to learn to speak up a lil' more since gettin' to Cibus, but time was I needed a draught of whiskey just to hold down a friendly conversation. Still helps a bit even now. ...Hope you're havin' some social time outside of a bar sometimes, though."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Celeste nodded. "I get all my other social time outside bars... Nip, Icetales and I have plenty enough in common. The two of them being gone wasn't good for me. I feel more distant now."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Wait, those two were Celeste's dormmates, right? Ouch.

"You reckon that'll change now they're back? I reckon that fer th'most part, we've all come outta that experience better off. I wanna see it as . . . not exactly a good thing, but at least somethin' from which we'll get good things. A chance to, anyway."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Celeste stared at the ground. "I'm not sure. Things feel different now." How much simpler this would be if I could go back to before all this happened.