regression | KENOS ✦ COMMUNION

I don’t know. I’m going to seek answers soon. [ It’s obvious he doesn’t like not knowing? ] Right now, I feel fine.

Where are you?

[THAT MAKES TWO OF THEM]

I'm with the Pleroma! Uh, Greentruth? Somewhere in this shitty forest!!

[she tries to like. communion an image of a forest settlement, with lots of treehouses and rope bridges]

How the hell did they get you over there... Are they that strong?! Or did whatever they forced you to eat make you weak as shit?

[ Well. He guesses he's going to buy a map. Since they aren't in the same faction, he can't really mindblast her a map so that they can better figure out if meeting is possible. ]

Is it dense forest? Or can you see plains.

[ internally hurls ]

When I was weak, but I was able to struggle until another Aion subdued me.

It's pretty fucking dense, yeah. I'd tell you where exactly, but I still have no idea how this random fantasy genre looks like yet.

[at least she'd been born with knowledge in kaizenix?? she got to grow up there!!]

Also, wait. If we're gonna meet up, then I'll have to come to you. It'll be too much of a pain trying to get in here since you're sludge-y.

[wait they're also not gonna let HER in achamoth]

[ yuul: maps are expensive so i don't think he can buy one

Joonghyuk will now search for a map to look at for a good amount of time only to see that... The dense forests are north and there's a good amount of area. That's pretty far? ]

I was going to suggest we meet halfway. It'll be annoying to deal with the raid.

[they know that they're coming...................]

-- God, of course they know we're coming.

I think I could probably dip? S'not like anyone's watching me. What about you? ...How long would it take to walk there....

Whatever the Pleroma were doing before our arrival made their intentions too obvious or these prisoners we have are that prized.

[ He's kind of whatever about it, really. ]

I can leave, but it seems like long travel and I do not have the funds for it.

[ which like.

doesn't mean he can't?

Because he would just steal a carriage or a horse. ]

[it's the oldest trick in the book, and sooyoung's frankly kind of offended that they've all fallen for it.

which is hypocritical for her to think, considering that she'd do the same if it was an ORV who was being TORTURED, but whatever she's too busy for self-awareness right now,]

Probably both. The Pleroma are kind of obsessed with those two.

...I hate being poor. [hmmMMMMMGHGH] Why can't we just leave during the raid? I can hitch a ride with whatever the rest of the Pleroma are gonna take to get over there.

[ Yeah! They would also do a raid! But he isn't sure if they would do it like this. He thinks you can only do a full-on raid if you're confident in your strength. ]

... The sludge might prevent me from disengaging from the raid. [ He isn't Sure if it will, but. He's concerned. ] We can try.

How did you get pulled to Pleroma?

You better not try to kill me or I'll kick your ass.

[laugh track]

Some Aion from Pleroma came by and told me it was either go with them or drink Kenoma shit, so I just followed them. Also, they had clothes and food.

[hsy just went where there was food...]

[ You know what's unsettling? Joonghyuk not commenting on her request.

Also, Sooyoung's valid. That's how Joonghyuk got to Kenoma. It was barely a choice. ]

... The Regent is offering the power to rebuild the universe as we see fit.

[WHY ISN'T YOO JOONGHYUK COMMENTING TO WHAT IS CLEARLY A DEMAND? there's a buzz of irritation at that, but joonghyuk always ignores her....

There's a pause as she takes this in, then]

And then what? They just kick back and relax while we handle all that power?

I’m not keen on the possible influence the Regent has over the Aions here. It could lead to the Regent having authority over the new universe.

[ That is too smelly for him. He doesn’t outright say that he thinks they should kill the Regent after they get what they want.

However, that is how he’s feeling. It’s obvious. ]

… It could be a way to save him after what he’s done.

[it's so smelly... but also same hat, either way they need to get rid of the regent -- sooner or later...

it's grating to have to operate with such little knowledge. she's used to terrible odds, but they'd always at least had information... from at least one person... speaking of 'that person']

...Would it even work for our weird ass universe?

[but the idea is... .....]

Does any of this even feel real? It feels like we're stuck in another shitty Scenario.

They had the power to bring us here, even if it's not a full transition, and avoid the influence of the Star Stream. Real or not, we have to move forward and find a way to "wake up."

[ ... But is that what they want to do? Joonghyuk is willing chase after a way to change the ending they have, even in this dream where he may need to fall into someone else's influence.

He doesn't like it. He's going to resist as much as he can. But the offer... If it's real, then maybe they can be happy at the end of this. The Regent is just another obstacle. ]

You don't know what happened after. When the lights went out on the train car.

[She can't tell if that's a relief to hear or not. Knowing that they might be totally separate from the Star Stream, but isn't it like that one saying? from one shitty situation, straight into another?

She can concede that these aren't scenarios, but damn -- real life is really shaping up to be just like one. But before she can brood further -- just the reminder makes her BROODIER... THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AND SHE WENT BLIND!!!]

Yeah. Because I woke up right after in that dreamscape where you ditched me.

[ IT'S BROODING HOURS

He's silent for a long time, long enough that maybe Sooyoung could think he hung up, but his presence is there. ]

He split his soul into countless pieces.

[SPEAKING OF DITCHING (DOKJA!!!)

Sooyoung's silence, in return, may not be as long -- but it's there. then,]

What do you mean, he split his soul? ...Why would he do that?

Wait a second, you saw? You saw him?

I was taken a few minutes after you, but I remember you were there. You told me to let him go once there was some light and we could all see.

[ ... They did let him go, didn't they? He doesn't get that maybe she meant if he saw him here. ]

... How would I know why he did that?

[ How would any of them know what Dokja is thinking? They can only piece it together after the fact, left with the shambles that make up their lives. They can only try to search for the answer, never knowing if their conclusion is right. Just thinking about it riles him up. He didn't want to say this, but he hasn't used communion before. It all flows out, thoughts he would keep to himself. ]

Didn't he want to be saved? We came so far... We were so close. Why? If this was the ending he wanted...

[ ... ]

Don't listen to my thoughts.

[There is a rising sense of panic on Sooyoung's end. She doesn't get it. Split his soul? Why?

Her thoughts are different, but they run in tandem with Joonghyuk's. Joonghyuk tells her not to listen, but she's already heard his thoughts -- loud and clear. Hearing Yoo Joonghyuk sound so doubtful for once -- ]

Then stop thinking them! That can't be what he wanted. He said that the conclusion he wanted to see was with us, remember?

[...when they were all on the train, before dokja split himself and made good on his word, while breaking it at the same time]

We were allowed to take him because the universe wouldn't be destroyed. The Fourth Wall—that guy said Kim Dokja split his soul, that was what he wanted, that he knew we were going to do this... And that scattering himself was part of his plan.

[ Why would Dokja do that when he said the conclusion he wanted to see was with them. He's still struggling to know what the intentions were back then. He's still not sure what to believe now. If we want to remember what happens in chapter 540:

“Sooyoung-ssi?”

Soon afterwards, Yoo Sangah’s gaze shifted over to Yoo Joonghyuk. And then, she got to witness a shocking scene.

“… Yoo Joonghyuk-ssi??”

Yoo Joonghyuk's expression was frozen pale-white. And as if he had lost a protective wall of his mind, he seemed to be muttering something to himself, too.

Yoo Sangah had seen such a sight before.

⸢Back in the 73rd Demon World, when Kim Dokja ceased to exist alongside the ‘Outer God’.⸥

He's still in shock and has been a zombie, walking around and trying to figure out this new scenario as a distraction from their ultimate failure, but it's coming back. Joonghyuk was never one to show panic on his face, only a few times, but Sooyoung can really sense it here. ]

... Why did he do that? [ ... ] I don't understand.

[ One of the few times they thought they could reach Dokja, that their words and intentions would reach him, and it seemed like a success. Dokja would tell them what they have always wanted to hear, yet how could the Fourth Wall tell them that was just... a lie? Why did they have to hear it from someone else?

Haven't they suffered enough? ]

Edited 2022-08-11 20:12 (UTC)

Stop.

[another, nicer person would have said "stop thinking depressing thoughts, yjh", but sooyoung's reply comes out all stilted instead. (damb imagine we had yoo sangah instead) it's just pure anger and desperation and the frantic realization that despite all their efforts, despite going through all of those damned scenarios all over again -- the idea of kim dokja having a different idea in his head, a solution all to himself that he'd never told anyone...

well, that's just like old times, isn't it?]

It's because he's a moron!! And because of this shitty universe!! He thought he needed to save us or whatever and decided to fucking die again!!

[he didn't die -- WELL HE MIGHT AS WELL HAVE!!! her emotions are ON BLAST, and she's aware of it too -- that if she can feel Yoo Joonghyuk's shock, then he could probably feel her panic wheel of distress]

I hate this stupid telepathy thing! Why are you in Achamoth?!

[WHY IS SHE LASHING OUT AT YJH NOW]

[ She can keep yelling at him... He knows she gets like this when she feels cornered—they've been fighting alongside each other for almost eight years now. His response to it is silence, ruminating on her words. ]

He's a moron.

[ More thoughts agreeing than him saying it aloud. ]

What does Pleroma offer?

[ HE ALREADY EXPLAINED WHY HE'S IN ACHAMOTH HE CAN'T JUST CHANGE THAT ]

[WHY CAN'T HE CHANGE IT AHHHHH]

Nothing!

[PANT PANT HSY ANGRY.... she takes several deep breaths while in the jungle, then]

They're against the Kenoma because they don't want to see worlds destroyed in the first place. Also, the Regent sucks, and it sounds like a lot of Kenoma do too? I don't know.

[there's an underline of 'and i don't care' but that's just a tantrum vibe]

There's no one leader in charge of the Pleroma. Or if there is, then they didn't show up during planning. The only real authority is 'seniority', new Aions listening to the ones who came before, and they sure as hell haven't offered anything like remaking the world. They probably don't believe in the Regent's offer.

So you're telling me they are useless.

[ This is the important part. ]

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