[Text] Un: S. Imeris

[thornygunner]

Can someone please explain to me why there is a statue of me in this strange town's plaza?

[Yep, that's it. That's all she's going to ask.]

Comments

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[whatsamada]

...I think there is a story behind this that I am not getting.

[thornygunner]

That would make two of us. Especially since the people here seem to know me. And I have no clue where I am, aside from the obvious.

[whatsamada]

Wait, how do they know you?

That seems a little odd when the people here don't know who I am.

[thornygunner]

I don't know. If this was my world, that would make more sense.

[whatsamada]

Perhaps there might be someone who knows you here? That's the only reason I can think of.

But why they would make a statue? I'm not sure.

[Did they miss her that much??]

[thornygunner]

Honestly, I don't know that I know anyone who would go to the extreme lengths to make a statue of me. A cursed doll, maybe, but a larger than life stone statue?

That seems wierd.

[whatsamada]

I don't know why but...

You don't think that statue is supposed to be cursed, right?

action

[sincleavers]

[So, when he sees a familiar name show up on the charms, a few things happen in rapid succession: one, he fumbles with the charm and nearly drops it; two, he tries to activate it to say her name, or "wait right there, I'm coming!" and manages to get none of it recorded; three, he immediately bolts out of the (strangely crowded) inn and straight to the plaza where the statues are.

He's currently there, hastily peering through rows of statues.]

Shionne?!

[thornygunner]

[He can spot her, holding her chin as she glares at the statue of herself as if she is hoping it would suddenly be struck by lightning or tell her all of the secrets about its creation. She has a thought about taking out her rifle and shooting it, but she's not sure what sort of commotion that would cause the townsfolk around her.

And some of them are acting as if they're happy to see her, but keeping a respectable distance. It's creepy.

So, when she hears a familiar voice, she can't help but give a huge sigh of relief and start looking around for the source.]

Alphen? Where are you?

[sincleavers]

[He passes by rows of faces, familiar and not, each frozen in reverent neutrality. It sure is creepy, this memorial frozen in time...but Alphen isn't here to reflect on it, he's here to--

Ah. He spots her in the distance just between two rows of statues, and he pauses for a moment with his mouth half-open. How long has she been gone? It's only been two months, if that, but it feels like so much longer in a way he can't quite describe. He doesn't waste time trying to lead her to him; she'll see him soon enough, anyway, as he's currently bolting in her direction.]

Shionne! You... [uh. he hadn't thought farther ahead than that.] You're really here!

[thornygunner]

[She's so confused. One second she was stepping off of the Felneitz and the next she's in a strange white area and afterwards in a field with a note in her pocket accusing her of treason. And everything's gotten worse since arriving in Aldrip.

So, while she feels like she should be more upset than she is and she will be later, probably, right now, she can't help but smile as she watches the familiar and handsome (?) face of her partner as he runs full tilt at her.]

Alphen. [What? No, she's not breathless. Stop. But then.... the rest of his words hit her.] I suppose so, but where is here and why are we both here instead of on Lenegis?

[sincleavers]

[Alphen is still stunned. In some far-off corner of his mind, he can hear her asking perfectly reasonable questions for someone who hasn't been here before, but those will have to wait. Every battle fought without the Blazing Sword, every meal with too many leftovers, every brash choice he's made without her sharp, reasonable responses...each reminder of her absence has been a needle jammed in his chest, and all at once, they're gone. Because she's here.

Words have never been his strongest suit. He's certainly no poet or anything like that. But right now, they fail him utterly, and so he falls back on actions -- thorns or no. His arms go around her shoulders and he pulls her close, wincing at every crackle and spark but knowing nonetheless that it's completely worth it.]

I missed you.

[It'll be a short embrace, because he knows better than to stay too close for too long, and even those few moments will ache later. But still...worth it.]

[thornygunner]

[To say she's not surprised to have him hug her would be a lie. Sure, he's the only person who she's met that could touch her for a while without it hurting him, but without his mask, that's over. However, he's the only person who's continuously kept coming back, no matter what, to remind her of the few things she's been missing so much in her short life.

The second his arms are around her, heat infuses her cheeks and she lifts her hands to... She's not even sure what. Not that it matters because he pulls away again, but she's already casting a healing spell on him to soothe the pain, eyes bright with a bit more than just the glow of her heritage.]

Idiot. [And then she takes a breath to gather her thoughts.]

What are you talking about? I just saw you a few hours ago. Surely you can live without me for that long.

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[threadhop]

ig ur famous?

[thornygunner]

I'm not sure that's comforting, if I'm honest. I'd really like to know why this thing is here.

[threadhop]

ngl i’d be weirded out too if i pulled up to a statue of me

u tried askin locals?

[thornygunner]

They seem really reluctant to answer my questions. Hence why I'm here.

Although, they also know not to touch me.

[threadhop]

damn that’s weird.
well… like everything.
at least “reluctant to say” ain’t the same as “dunno”, right? maybe that’s somethin

[thornygunner]

So far, everything here has been rather strange. Do kidnappers often erect statues of their victims? It's the first I've heard of it.

[baldrshand]

You haven't noticed it before? There are statues for all of us who were here when the town had that mishap with the refrigerators.

[thornygunner]

How could I notice it before? I've only just arrived.

What mishap with the refrigerators?

[baldrshand]

A few months ago, they all failed and the townsfolk made the statues to thank us for helping them replenish their food supplies. If there's one of you, I would have thought you were one of them--but it could be a passing resemblance. I think they're a little idealized.

[thornygunner]

No, this is definitely a statue of me. There's too much that's right for it to be someone else. And, well, I can see one that is definitely Dohalim with his staff as well. And a few other faces I know fairly well.

[There are a lot of them, more than she doesn't know for sure. And, well, there's one of who can only be Alphen with his half-mask. Just staring at it makes her feel a bit happy, but she's not going to talk about that either. Well, not to someone she doesn't know.]

This is strange. Was it really such a big deal that warranted statues?

[baldrshand]

You know Dohalim? Who are the other faces?

Yes, because they rely so heavily on electricity. Of course, they still had dry goods, but that would have been tough to live on exclusively. Not very many vitamins.

[thornygunner]

I wouldn't call us close, but I suppose we're friends. The other faces are Kisara, Alphen, Law.

[There are others, but one leaves her a bit scared and the other absolutely terrifies her because he should be dead.]

I suppose it's a good thing that the Chosen were able to help them. Food scarcity is a terrible thing.