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+---- Thread: Hey mom, the world's kinda fucked up (/showthread.php?tid=10975)
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RE: Hey mom, the world's kinda fucked up - Iskra - 04-02-2025
Delving into the depths of his despair had been the first in a long while, and Iskra quickly found his lungs burning to take a breath again. He needed to resurface, to pull away from that abyss. Although he'd found that diving into it, it was not so all-consuming as he'd believed when he'd looked down on it from above. Even so, that was enough peering into the dark and feeling it stare back. He did want to sleep at some point tonight, and nightmares born of memories would not help.
So Iskra had changed the topics, needing something light and bright. His grin grew as Sunjata proved to be more than happy to provide. It was quick, and it felt like blinking erased so much understanding with how quickly flesh and skin faded and morphed into hair and hoof. Honestly he had just as much understanding when he stared at it though too. It didn't hurt, Sunjata said, and Iskra supposed it felt like a stretch did, where you could feel your bones shifting beneath your muscle and tendons, could sense the sinew and anatomy that lay unseen. Though, Iskra had never stretched and turned into a pegasus.
Iskra had been slowly rising during the shift, curiosity getting the best of his manners as he crept closer to Sunjata. As the man, now pegasus, stood fully shifted and willing, Iskra breathed out an awed laugh. [say]"You look brilliant!"[/say] he exclaimed as he reached out tentative for a wing, marveling at the electric blue edges. [say]"You remind me, of her."[/say] Iskra said softly, the sound barely above a breath as he circled the stallion. [say]"The mare, I see in my dreams. She's black, but she has neon blue like this on her wings and her face."[/say] He rounded back to the pegasus' front, reminding himself Sunjata was still in there as he regarded the big eyes. [say]"It feels like she's my mother..."[/say] That sounded insane when he said it out loud. [say]"In my dreams, I mean. It's as if that's who she is."[/say] He shook his head, chasing away that strange otherworld that danced around his head. Dreams were always strange, what was the worth in making heads or tails of it.
[say]"I'm surprised there's no pegasus here,"[/say] he murmured, meaning Caido as a whole. [say]"They'd make a useful mount."[/say]
RE: Hey mom, the world's kinda fucked up - Sunjata - 04-03-2025
Seeing the brighter change in the other man, Sunjata remains standing still for Iskra to inspect. Not having an attuned bond to speak to him, the most he can do is show his understanding in this shape. As Iskra reaches out tentatively for the wing closest to him, the Flood extends his with a slight fluff of feathers, brushing the soft edges against his hand, ears flicked toward him to listen.
Steel eyes follow him as he moves in front of him, dark beak marking on his muzzle lifting slightly. He doesn’t think Iskra’s insane for saying the Pegasus felt like his mother in the dream. Dreams were often odd vessels, and he harbored many strange dreams with varying pieces that simply wouldn’t make sense or sounded insane when uttered aloud.
So he nods in this form, ears perked forward, head dipping a little low before a snort of agreement leaves the equine. Now with Iskra in front of him, he stretches out his wings, giving himself a good shake. One of those electric feathers loosens, falling out of his wings when he tucks them back in, and when he shifts back it’s to pluck that electric blue feather up from the ground, approaching Iskra to hand it to him. “[say]They would, wouldn’t they?[/say]” He agrees with a soft laugh.
“[say]Here, you can keep it.[/say]” Nodding to the feather, the Flood steps back once handing it over.
RE: Hey mom, the world's kinda fucked up - Iskra - 04-04-2025
As if he'd been made nothing more than a child again, Iskra's eyes grew wide and awestruck as Sunjata held out the gift of a feather to him. [say]"Thank you,"[/say] Iskra could barely manage the words over his grin as he reached out and clasped the magnificent memento. carefully he ran a thumb along it, zipping the soft strands of the feather together, then rolling the shaft in his hand carefully. Suddenly, he lifted his gaze, a frown dimming the joy that had just been there. [say]"I don't have anything to give you,"[/say] he said it like he'd just been gutted by a blade. He began to look around him, eyes frantically searching the meager possessions he'd brought with him here. [say]"I have Goose fur,"[/say] he muttered, glancing down at the pale smattering of dog hair all over his clothes. Speaking of, where had that damn beast run off to this whole time?
[say]"My dog,"[/say] he amended after a moment, realizing that goose fur made him sound like some hillside bumpkin that made up words. [say]"Not sure you really want that though,"[/say] he admitted. [say]"I could make you something. I am a woodcutter by trade, but I carve sometimes too, or do some carpentry."[/say]
RE: Hey mom, the world's kinda fucked up - Sunjata - 04-04-2025
“[say]You’re welcome.[/say]” His accented voice reaches Iskra with the smile that tugs on his face as the feather is taken. Watching as he runs his hands over it, before his steel gaze follows Iskra’s attention – meeting the other man squarely and seeing the frown that begins to form. It pinches a line between the Flood’s brows, head tilting slightly. “[say]I don’t need anything. It’s a gift, not a trade.[/say]” He offers quietly as if it would help while he does still try to figure out what the fuck Iskra means by goose fur.
Luckily the answer comes and the realization sparks in Sunjata’s gaze, before he shakes his head – because he hadn’t expected anything. Hadn’t wanted anything. Just wanted to help and give him something that might feel a little more closer to life than death.
But if he’s being honest, the Abandoned seems dead set. “[say]If you really do wanna give me something in return, maybe you could come and help me out in King’s End?[/say]” He says after a few moments of thinking. “[say]We’ve just built a town and I’ll be honest, I’m not the best at carpentry.. But we’re looking to expand it a little bit more.[/say]” It was completely up to Iskra if he wanted to – of course. Sunjata doesn’t mind getting nothing in return, but something tells him it would help Iskra, too.
Kind of like how Frey helped give him a purpose when he was adrift, even if it wasn’t the sole one he’d thought for himself.
RE: Hey mom, the world's kinda fucked up - Iskra - 04-05-2025
He heard what Sunjata said, but he did not accept it, as the Flood well knew. It wasn't often Iskra received gifts, or connected with someone beyond surface-level introductions. He couldn't grapple with everything he was lacking usually, so to be caught with his pants down, so to speak, it was one undone button too many. He had to be capable enough of returning such a kind favor, else he truly was a piece of shit. Thankfully, Sunjata cast him one more lifeline, and Iskra stilled, head tilting a bit as he listened to the Archon's offer. [say]"Yes!"[/say] Iskra agreed eagerly, bright eyes holding Sunjata. [say]"I'd be happy to help, however you need."[/say]
Purpose was one of the very few things that could keep the flame of one's existence lit. Despair was an endless wash of water, and while it could gutter a fire, purpose was an oil that rescued the flame time and time again. Goose had been Iskra's first dose of oil. This could be another.
[say]"Thank you,"[/say] Iskra murmured again, sitting back on his log, the alcohol long forgotten. Tonight had felt a bit like a dream, to be honest.
RE: Hey mom, the world's kinda fucked up - Sunjata - 04-05-2025
The eager agreement proves to Sunjata that he’s made the correct choice in giving the woodcutter an offer. One that the Flood doesn’t care whether he does or doesn’t take him up on, but having it there regardless is a boon he imagines for the both of them. In different ways, of course, but to help expand the region of which he ran while simultaneously helping this younger man find his way to a purpose?
It made sense.
“[say]Great.[/say]” Sunjata hums softly, letting his lopsided, boyish smile return. If he can help be a little light within Iskra’s mind, he’s happy to help. For all of the awful things Sunjata had done in the past, for the sides he’d chosen in a war he didn’t want and still lost everything in anyway.. The least he could do is help those who needed it, who wanted it.
Nodding to the murmured thank you as Iskra sits back on the log, Sunjata doesn’t sit. He stretches out a little, drawing himself up to his full height for a brief moment. “[say]I’ll send you a letter when we're ready. But, for now, I should probably head back before I’m really late for dinner with my fiancée.[/say]” He chuckles a little toward the end, shrugging a tattooed shoulder, before nodding his goodbye to the woodcutter.
In a matter of moments, the Flood shifts from his tall statue to a macaw of navy blue with a stripe of yellow around his black beak, taking to the sky with a croak of goodbye, to vanish back into the Greatwood’s endless maze.
- FIN