Rising Sun [text/action]

[mother_of_god]

[Her last memory is heat and rust and darkness. Now there is light and life and comfort- at least, more comfort than she's felt in seven years. (Or less comfort for part of her that has lived a life free of constant pain.) She sits up with difficulty, blinking in the bright. The air is clean, carrying a fresh smell she'd forgotten after half a life in a basement room. The world is green and dazzling and living. Birds twitter, leaves rustle, a breeze rolls past her ears; no beeps or rumbles or electric hums.

[Dread creeps up her insides.

[A cat meows. She peers at it in surprise, then notices the scroll. A few moments' fumbling with bandaged fingers and it's open. She reads, silently, then turns her attention to the Vine, which unfurls its parchment and stylus helpfully, apparently aware that speaking isn't high on her list of strengths. She reaches for the stylus automatically, before realising that her fingers are too restrained to operate it. But there's another way.

[The Vine offers a new text to the residents. Unusually, the words aren't hand written, but singed into the parchment.]

Is this Paradise?

Comments

particularly on the Vine :V

[mother_of_god]

God was going to make Paradise.

I'm glad She didn't.

so very true

[histrionic]

There is no Paradise, and there are no gods.

[mother_of_god]

Then it is safe here.

[histrionic]

There is a tyrant here, yet she is no god, but a queen.

[mother_of_god]

Does she cut off people's heads?

[histrionic]

I suppose she could, if she wished, but she hasn't done so, as far as I'm aware.

There is no true death here.

[mother_of_god]

The Queen is nice and nobody dies?

[histrionic]

Nice isn't an accurate description. She is mad and foolish.

People do die, but they are returned to life.

[mother_of_god]

[Oh dear... this doesn't sound good.]

But it's so nice here...

[histrionic]

[You can count on Kuja to accentuate the negative!]

This is all a beautiful illusion. A deception.

[mother_of_god]

What is it hiding?

[This might be bad after all...]

[histrionic]

Who can say? That is the question: the queen's real motive is unknown. Sometimes the surface of this reality flickers, and we catch a glimpse of something else beneath. There are monsters and nightmares.

[mother_of_god]

[I hope you are happy with yourself, Kuja. You've now gotten the newbie paranoid. There's no answer for a few moments.]




[Then]

I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry

[histrionic]

[No, Kuja's rarely happy with herself, sadly! Which is part of the reason she's such a jerk.]

Don't be foolish, child. What are you apologizing for?

[mother_of_god]

I tried to stop God but I wasn't strong enough. I can't stop the monsters.

I think there aren't as many now. Daddy killed God. Maybe they will stay away now.

[histrionic]

You don't need to worry about god. As I said, there is no god.

These monsters aren't whatever you're used to, but something else. For the most part, they only want to live, as we do.