The Shimmer Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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theshimmer2020-08-08 11:35 pm
shimmermods) wrote in theshimmer2020-08-08 11:35 pm
WEEK FOUR
FOURTH WEEK
The Shimmer may have left you physically, but it's always with you; it's something it had insisted on yesterday, and it's something that continues to be pervasive even now, both in thoughts and within you in other, perhaps more noticeable ways. The statements that have been made weigh heavily; your surroundings continue to be influenced by something or other - plants you recognize are still present here, even as the trees themselves continue to crystallize, growing glassy white and transparent around mechanical insides - and the changes to your physical bodies are becoming more evident and difficult to ignore.
Perhaps more disturbingly, when you went to sleep in the clearing there were sixteen of you.
When you wake up, there are fifteen.
No matter how many headcounts you take, you keep coming up one short; the fact of the matter is that Rean Schwarzer is no longer among you. There's no visible evidence of where he's gone, and all of his belongings are still here; perhaps in some part of your mind, the possibility registers itself - maybe he's not with you because he went to the Shimmer. Not in the same way the cultists went, and not in the same way the ring of bodies seems to have gone, but maybe...
The thought is difficult to shake; the fact of the matter is that he isn't here, and you probably don't want to stay here. After all, your options are currently either to do what you set out to do, to return to the base and very possibly be killed for your efforts, or to remain here with the corpses.
The hike uphill is steep; perhaps it's fortunate that you're no longer tiring out like you used to. It's easier to keep going nowadays, even if it feels somewhat mechanical in doing so; your limbs know what they're doing, even if there's some reason for your mind to disagree. You seem to be making good time in moving toward the site of the initial impact of the meteorite; perhaps it won't be much longer before you find your objective.
That is, if all goes according to plan.
SUNDAY | MONDAY |
TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY
Perhaps more disturbingly, when you went to sleep in the clearing there were sixteen of you.
When you wake up, there are fifteen.
No matter how many headcounts you take, you keep coming up one short; the fact of the matter is that Rean Schwarzer is no longer among you. There's no visible evidence of where he's gone, and all of his belongings are still here; perhaps in some part of your mind, the possibility registers itself - maybe he's not with you because he went to the Shimmer. Not in the same way the cultists went, and not in the same way the ring of bodies seems to have gone, but maybe...
The thought is difficult to shake; the fact of the matter is that he isn't here, and you probably don't want to stay here. After all, your options are currently either to do what you set out to do, to return to the base and very possibly be killed for your efforts, or to remain here with the corpses.
The hike uphill is steep; perhaps it's fortunate that you're no longer tiring out like you used to. It's easier to keep going nowadays, even if it feels somewhat mechanical in doing so; your limbs know what they're doing, even if there's some reason for your mind to disagree. You seem to be making good time in moving toward the site of the initial impact of the meteorite; perhaps it won't be much longer before you find your objective.
That is, if all goes according to plan.
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[At least this time, Yusei seems aware that this might not be the clearest of answers, and eventually explains himself.]
It's a popular game, back home.
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How do you play?
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It's a card game. You use a combination of monsters, spells, and traps to defeat your opponent.
[Well, when Yusei describes it like that, it sounds...really simple.]
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But hey, he's polite and trying to encourage people to talk, so... ]
That sounds lovely. Are you good at it?
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[It kind of helps that Yusei isn't getting into the more occult parts of it.
or explaining that he's technically the champion of riding duels.]
I'm assuming you deal with dueling in a more literal sense in your world.
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[ He's a romantic at heart - a duel for the affections of a lady, etc... it sounds nice, okay? ]
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[Yusei looks like he almost wants to laugh - but he settles for a reluctant sigh.]
Things aren't...always as romantic as people think they are. Same goes for those titles of prestige...
[ha ha ha.]
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[ He's a pseudo-prince and it's a complicated feeling, really. ]
Still, I think the idea of settling a conflict in a duel is rather elegant.
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[Weak laugh.]
It's deadly sometimes too, you know...
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[ Not card games. Tell him we're not talking about cardgames. ]
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[apparently he was talking about card games]
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... people die in Duel Monsters?
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[he's seen it happen!!!! recently, even!]
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[ HOW DO YOU KILL SOMEONE WITH A CARD; EXPLAIN. ]
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[Okay, bear with him for a second.]
Apparently, there's a separate world where Duel Spirits reside - each card has a spirit associated with it, and each spirit has their own power. More often than not, these kinds of things don't really go noticed, but there are some people with powers that can tap into those abilities...and other forces that tap into the powers of the Duel Spirits when they need to.
[i
isn't he talking about a card game]
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That's... it's not the weirdest thing he's heard since being contacted by the agents of the anti-Shimmer taskforce thingie? He thinks. He thinks it's not the weirdest thing, surely.
It is just still pretty weird. ]
So... your cards are basically summoning portals for beings that can murder your opponent?
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[Beat.]
Like I said, it doesn't always happen. The majority of people don't have the ability to do such a thing, or are even aware that Duel Spirits exist. I was one of them until recently, myself.
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[not gonna elaborate?
okay, i guess]
Those matters are resolved now, at least, so I can focus on whatever's happening here without too much regret...Sorry for confusing you.
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Oh, no! I did ask about about unique details. This is certainly unique. It was very interesting.
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If you say so...
[why does he feel like he's being talked to condescendingly]