4th Course - Salt [Video]

[starofpleiades]

[In the late evening, the video suddenly turns on as there's a loud thump and a splatter, like something wet just hit the ground next to the vine. At the first, the picture is dark and its hard to make out the shape there. A trembling silhouette, hunched over as it rises unsteadily off the ground - the form seems small and thin, but draped in lengthy darkness - hair? - but also the limbs seems somehow... too long. Claws?

What little light there is reflects off the eyes of the cats coming to greet the new arrival, but as they draw closer, they hiss and their hair stands on end before they turn and run. The figure in the dark collapses back onto the ground again, curling up, shrinking in on itself.

For a moment, all is still. Then there's a soft, muffled noise as that huddled figure trembles. Sobbing. The vine finally sheds some light on the situation, illuminating the curled, dripping wet form of Kazumi, curled up in a glen on the grassy floor, clutching herself and sobbing quietly. It's a few moments before she opens her eyes, looking around, noticing the vine for the first time. She looks helpless, lost, but her first question isn't "Where am I?"]

Who am I? What am I?

Comments

[fionna_time]

Yeah, they did, and I'm pretty sure you and the people you were with were happy, right?

[starofpleiades]

I... mm. I think they were. I... [She shivers, shrinking in on herself] I wonder if they'll still like me...

[fionna_time]

They are and they do, man. This is not some girl's life, its yours. I hung out with YOU. You made memories with us. I remember.

[starofpleiades]

Hmnngh... Fionna! [Kazumi sobs and suddenly clings tight to Fionna again, crying a bit] I... I'm so glad I'm here, I just...! Everything... it was all... so...!

[fionna_time]

[This sucked-Kazumi had quickly become one of the people in the Gardens who's company she enjoyed the moment they hung out. To see her like this, so distressed and confused, bothered her a lot. It reminded her of Alessa and all those things she had to deal with].

It's ok, you're back now. If there's anything you can trust, its this place doing all its weirdness. Glad you came back, safe and sound."

[starofpleiades]

I... mm. Yeah. I won't... have to hurt anyone here, will I?

[fionna_time]

Huh? Why would you?

[starofpleiades]

I... I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. I... after I... I killed... my own friends. I killed Satomi... I don't... I don't want that to ever happen again!

[fionna_time]

You killed...your friends?

Why?

[starofpleiades]

I... Satomi she, she tried to kill me... and she made me kill the other Kazumis... and then she, she... [Kazumi breaks off sobbing again. Sorry, but this may not be the most coherent story.]

[fionna_time]

[Fionna is still offering a hug, despite how twisted this story was getting. It scared her, knowing so much could happen in such a short amount of time, and that someone would do this to her friend].

You're here, ok? Just take a breath and tell me, if you can.

[starofpleiades]

[A hug is definitely something Kazumi needs; feeling grounded and here in the moment was helping at least a little to control her panic] I just...

I'm a replacement. For Michiru. B, but I was a failure, so Satomi...

[fionna_time]

[Fionna was more than happy to do this, and now inclined to keep herself restrained].

You are NOT a failure Kazumi, not in nothin'. You're you.

[starofpleiades]

I am! I, I'm not... I'm not human...

[fionna_time]

Being a human is not so great! Besides, I would like you whoever you are, ok?

[starofpleiades]

Even if... I'm a witch? A monster? A killer...

[fionna_time]

Tell me this: without thinking of any of that, what do you wanna do right now?

[starofpleiades]

I... I don't know... I just want my friends back... but they're not... really my friends? I... [She sobs, that feeling of loss and lost overwhelming her]

[fionna_time]

I can't do nothin' about that, but I wish I could. I know your memories are important to you, and finding out they weren't real? That really bloops. But even if that's all gone, there are still gonna be people here who will have fun with you, no matter what your past is.

You can always make more memories y'know. No one's stopping you.

[starofpleiades]

Mm... I guess so... [It doesn't really fill that gaping hole she's feeling right now though]

[fionna_time]

Hey, come on. We can still hang like we used to! What do you wanna do, like, that's really fun?

[starofpleiades]

I... don't know... [SORRY, STILL TOO DOWN TO THINK OF FUN THINGS RIGHT NOW, CALL BACK LATER]

[fionna_time]

K.

How about we just lay here and relax then.

[starofpleiades]

Mn... okay. [Hope you don't mind her clinging when you do... besides being lonely, she's kind of cold and wet still]

[fionna_time]

[Its Fionna so...no.]

I'm glad you're back. Things can get kinda cruddy around here. Good to have dudes around.