The Price of Love

Gurashi

I feel like SUCH AN EGGO WAFFLE for not posting these sooner to the forums.

Gurashi has been getting tormented unfairly  taught a lesson lately by the Lovely Lady of Roses @Viravain because of Things, and the result has been a roller coaster of emotional turmoil for the buggo. Because they are all far too long to post on the forums, I will share snippets of the logs (and also share in order of them happening):

***
An Eye for An Eye <-- The unexpected beginnings of a KIDNAPPING... 

Orventa winks conspiratorially at you.

You have emoted: Gurashi blinks at the teapot, then offers a nervous, silenced laugh, their tail returning slowly back up to speed. They seem to relax visibly, perking up and taking another sip of the teapot straight through the spout.

 

With its gaze intent on you, a massive black widow crawls across the bark of the nearest of the blackthorns and settles in, staring.

 

Falling with a clatter, a staff covered in thick, sticky webbing lands at your feet.

 

You look about in confusion.

 

Orventa blinks.

 

You pick up a crutch-staff bearing praises to the Lord, Lady, and Neither, covered in webs.

 

As if it were never there, the black widow fades to nothing in the night, its chittering mandibles whispering, "An eye for an eye..."

 

You have emoted: Gurashi's earlier unease seems to evaporate immediately at the sound of the clattering crutch. They furrow their brow, leaning to pick it up... freezing.

 

Orventa stares at the sudden tree growth in her kitchen, "What in blazes?"

 "Did They Steal You?" <-- Nocht says henlo

Proselyte Olethea, Euphony of the Dark Heart says, "...If the changes aren't... bad."

 

You nod your head emphatically.

 

You tilt your head, gaze softening as you frown.

 

Proselyte Olethea, Euphony of the Dark Heart asks, "What are you worried will happen?"

 

You have emoted: Gurashi squeezes the staff tighter, shutting their eyes.

 

A soft voice whispers, the murmur drifting through the air, "Indeed, what troubles, little ones?"

 

You have emoted: Gurashi's eyes open suddenly, and they grow very still.

"Funny, no?" <-- Khasur is a butt.

"Shadow Witch," Khasur Stormcrow intones, smiling. She spares a quick glance toward you and then chuckles. "How is the, ah..." she trails off, still smiling lightly.

 

Kreon chews on her lip, deep in thought.

 

You have emoted: Gurashi stares at Khasur Stormcrow suddenly, wide-eyed, their expression twisting from confusion to concern, then something deeper, determined, frustrated.

 

Khasur Stormcrow tilts her head, rather bird-like and quick, her wings ruffling behind her. "Gurashi, you should truly try not to emote so much. Someday, your face will pop, and then how will you feel?

Desperation and Deceit <-- a long month spent REELING WITH MEMORIES and FIX THINGS and this is my favorite log of -all time-

In a quiet murmur, Proselyte Adrien Shee-Slaugh, the Omenwise Amanuensis asks, "...Lady of Thorns, or...?"

 

You have emoted: Gurashi lowers their hand just slightly, looking at the quickly tearing skin upon their knuckles before they look up again, then resume their task, not seeming to notice Esei or Adrien backing away.

 

Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk whispers, "Does not seem like it, at first glance."

 

Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk whispers, "Usually, She is... purple."

 

You don't even notice the blood at first - it only appears to be a simple scrape - and continue to rap your knuckles without regard for it. It is only when a warmth begins to trickle down your forearm that you realise your knuckles are bleeding profusely enough to trail blood to there.

 

In a quiet murmur, Proselyte Adrien Shee-Slaugh, the Omenwise Amanuensis says, "Ah, yes, see, that's less comforting."

 

In a quiet murmur, Proselyte Adrien Shee-Slaugh, the Omenwise Amanuensis says, "I'd much rather it be Her in Her own Temple."

 

Esei grimaces.

 

Rap! Rap! Rap! Rap! The sound continues as the sileni continues to knock until blood is visibly trailing down their forearm.

Rebuild <-- An accidental run-in with @Mysrai and the goodest bear in the Basin leads to the worst god damn revelation in the entire world ok

Aschwar's eyes glow with delight as they nod their head eagerly, clapping their hands. "Yes! Please!" They look towards you and quietly add, "The Shofets is trying to help me learn how to be good and know all the things for when I am all better, so I do not hurt people with my brain stu--" They pause, and look down at the notepad.

Aschwar says, "Uh...Shofets?"

 

You have emoted: Gurashi looks down at the notepad, then over at Mysrai, confused.

 

Mysrai's head turns to the side, and quickly scans the notepad. His voice is oddly free of emotion, echoing around you as He simply responds, "Yes. They do."

 

You think to yourself: ..... ** not a single room for thought - only blinding, white light ** ...

 

You have emoted: With a set jaw, Gurashi nods, just once, eyes wide and lips parted.

 

You feel a deep sense of dread in your stomach as the Courtesan's gaze lingers on you, and you know in an instant that He is full aware of Akuuko's mysterious absence. How much more could He know? 

More possibly to come as the story continues to unfold. I know I have a couple logs yet to clean...
Thanks for reading! And the fun! And the tangled web this has become!
Always the spider, never the fly!
(except am a cicada which is better than a fly)

Gurashi

Among the Canopy <-- Gurashi gets some sage advice from dadthos

You think to yourself: ** ah - the shadowbeats ... the thing that draw me - that drew Tiso... **.

*Ba-dum.  Ba-dum.  Ba-dum.*

You have emoted: Gurashi bows their head again, their chin touching their chest as they continue to stare down at the beetle. Eventually they look at the feather, twisting in in their fingers, closing their hand into a fist.

You think to yourself: ... ** a familiar beat - somehow, dissonant - their own heartbeat - Tiso's, slightly faster, more nervous - the feather, nearly in tune with their own, just a hair off ** ...

The beat continues.  Ba-dum.  Ba-dum.  Time passes.  The difference slowly- excruciatingly so- narrows, until it vanishes entirely.  The thrumming beat is your own.  It is the Glomdoring's.  It is yours.  You are the Glomdoring.  The Glomdoring is you.

Gurashi

SO WHILE GURASHI has been on one end of this adventure, my lovely teeny cousin Aleyah was on the other being excellent and wonderful and amazing and compiled this wonderful post of HER Adventures. Please go give it a read!

Meanwhile, I have my OWN things to post. Mind, Gurashi's visuals were MUCH more JARRING and HORRID than Aleayh's so please be aware there are CONTENT WARNINGS involved in these logs for general AaAaaAAAA

*****

We Need Roses 
(Saturday night, interrupted an aetherhunt, SCReAMS in TERROR) 

We Need Essence, Kephera Corpses, Gurashi, And ... Oh - He's Hatching
(Sunday day, thank god before we were due to go out to spend time with family - gathered a bajillion essence and then a bajillion more corpses and then AKUUKO WOKE UUUUUUUP)

I left in a couple of my tells conversations, like I was talking to @Lief at one point about her recent engagement. Because sometimes when you're having horrific visions you need to hear about something nice, like wedding plans ;P

Guh. GAH. AAAAH.

Aleyah

Gurashi: freaking out for honestly very good reason
Aleyah, unconcerned: Sometimes you just fear for your life and the very sanctity of your being, that's a thing that happens. Clearly he feels safe enough to stay, so he's fine.

Lief

Highlight for me was Ilistala chirping at Gurashi like she was trying to say the same thing the songbird said. Everything else is amazing in this story too, but that was such a sweet little touch in Gurashi's fear and worry.