lunaecalamitas | Teenagers Scare the Living Shit Out Of Me etc. etc.

Teenagers Scare the Living Shit Out Of Me etc. etc.

[Characters passing by the bulletin board may notice a new message tacked to it!]

Drinking party at the bar at 8pm. Under 21 only. Adults will be persecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Fun and games included, party hats optional. Don’t be late!

[Sure enough, there’s a gathering of teens (and maybe some not-so-teens?) to be found in the bar! While the posting mentions this is a teen only event, adults are in fact allowed as long as they are cool. OOCLY please be aware there are going to be teens drinking alcohol and possibly smoking! Also additionally, please let the teens/players have fun; again, adults are allowed but only if they’re cool enough to play along without snitching them out!

All party game top levels are going to be made under Ahito’s account but please assume ICly that Akira instigated/explained them! Once the game toplevels are up you can also post your own toplevels to mingle freely if you like IDK IT’S A PARTY HAVE FUN]

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[ Jing Yuan does have a strong sense of morality, but he is old and tired, as well as slowly beginning to become quite fatigued with being polite and nice all the time due to events here and otherwise. So, quite frankly, though he thinks that Solomon does need to make improvements, he also believes abhorrent is far too strong of a word he feels willing to tolerate.

So, pardon his french, even in this internal monologue, but...

Barbatos can kindly eat shit. ]

Mm. I suppose that certain kind of outlook is very much Barbatos' problem, then, if he must use such a term at all. He may disagree with you, and so may others, though there is no reason to be incendiary about it.

[ It goes both ways, he knows, though he doesn't know the contents of those disagreements, so this comment still applies. Instead, Jing Yuan simply squeezes Solomon's hand lightly; the grip soft and a bit grounding. Warm. ]

...Essentially, it seems you believe Robin will hurt the humans here, no? Due to his perspectives. We all know we cannot prevent what happens in each other's worlds, but the possibilities here are more immediate.

I understand your concerns. Though, I also would not want whatever happened between the both of you to become kindling for making them real either.

Hah... Barbatos and I have a pretty long history, so I don't take it personally. I just don't know what has him so angry this time. He's not exactly an open book.

[He really does owe quite a lot to Barbatos, though. So he doesn't see much point in defending himself when he believes it will work out eventually. It always had.

As far as Robin... he winces slightly at how Jing Yuan words that. "Will"? What a firm word for such an accusation.]

No, no. Nothing so immediate, Jing Yuan, please. I know better than to throw blame.

I just don't trust our motivations will match if things come to blows. Robin is more than aware what I will prioritize, and if he has to view me as an inconsiderate monster for keeping that clear, then I can't stop him. Rather, I welcome it, if it means he considers me an actual threat.

[Right now he thinks Robin would call him an obnoxious bastard rather than a threat, but even that is at least something - being the thorn in one's side, the cockroach, the evidence of what human will can accomplish.]

However... he is far from a ticking time bomb just because of our differences. Our mission was enough to show we can put things aside with one another for a common goal. So I'm aware my concerns, so far, are only that and nothing more. You could even call it habit on my part, if you want.

[His hand tightens against that squeezing grip with a resigned sigh.]

If he would like to take action on an offense I've made against him, then that's something the two of us will have to work out.

...I suppose I just simply do not take kind to such strong language being used against your person, is all.

[ Jing Yuan thinks he can at least say that much; he doesn't know Barbatos all that much, but the term 'abhorrent' still bothers him. Whatever their relation, he does not see a reason to mince words.

He does not think he'd get along with whoever this is, even with that long history.

As for the other matter...he pauses in listening to Solomon's elaboration. Which is entirely different from what he presumed for at least part of it; the conclusion in of itself he made harsh, though borne from what he witnessed. ]

Mm...I see.

Given the state of everything, I seem to have came to the incorrect conclusion about your perspective on the matter, at the least. I am ever grateful that you have amended that.

[ Feeling that tightening grip in return, he takes pause himself, grip still firm, though certainly not uncomfortable. ]

...And I suppose in the end the fallout will mostly seem to circle around in being dependable on whatever you two manage to discuss.

I recognize there is only so much that can be done, and that neither one of you are necessarily eager for conflict. Though, for now, I will simply hope for the best.

I've been called far worse, Jing Yuan. You can take it easy.

[Just gonna pat pat those intertwined fingers with his free hand. There, there.]

Thank you for putting your trust in me for the time being.

Should we put a pause on this game for now? I'd rather not upset you like that again.

...

[ He is...so it is up to Solomon to prove that he is making the right choice; distantly, he does feel the gentle tap against his hand.

Which reminds Jing Yuan how tense and worried he is still from that.

Which is a shame. He isn't fond of parties, but he enjoys games like this. So, he sighs, and there is a pause, before reluctantly, he says: ]

As much as it pains me, I am not quite feeling up to playing any longer. Still, it would benefit the both of us to take a break, at any rate.

That's perfectly fine. As for me, I might just entertain a few more from the boys while they still have their minds intact. But...

If you haven't gotten too tired of my troublemaking just yet, would you pull up a chair and sit with me?

[Eventually, Bruno will confiscate him, and Solomon will wave Jing Yuan to stay with the young so that he can have some time alone with his nurse equivalent. But it will be nice, to have a little company until then.]

Maybe you could take time to enjoy your drink a little more at your own pace.

...Fortunately, I am quite used to troublemakers. I will simply have to give it time to acclimate to your style.

You could always tell me a good story or two as compensation, however.

[ Jing Yuan passes Solomon a little tired smile as he does aim to lighten the mood for a bit with a joke, and then just simply has a chair pulled up via some magic persuasion (beginning level levitation), settled right beside Solomon, only to seat himself down. ]

Mm. I could also certainly drink at a quicker or slower pace as accordingly, yes. Though, it will not quite matter much to me, as it takes quite awhile before I typically feel the affects of alcohol.

Do you, now? Duly noted. I wouldn't want to get drunk in circles.

[He is, at the moment, noticeably sober. Almost as though he's not drinking alcohol at all! Fascinating.

A story, though.... If Robin has dismissed himself... there is one that definitely comes to mind, that Robin himself has already heard.]

Mm. I have a tale I could share, though it may be bittersweet and without my usual flairs. [From how he adjusts in his seat to straighten himself up and breathe in deep, though, he will try his best. Dramatic ass bitch that he is.]

Could you lend the Witty Sorcerer your ear?

Wise of you.

[ Enjoying your lil' juice drink, aren't you, Solomon... ]

I think that would be the perfect story for these old ears of mine.

[ Be dramatic. Be free, Solomon.

Jing Yuan is a person who can stand to hear things that are sad; perhaps better than most. A certain thought does occur to him that even if Solomon does say it is without his usual flairs, that he might see a little bit. Perhaps in tone? ]

...So, yes, I certainly would enjoy doing so.

[He is enjoying his little appley juice yes thanks for asking.]

Setting me up with a high expectation? I see, I see.

[Where he lacks in his magical flair and energy for the time being, he makes up for in the deliberate play of his tone, of volume and cadence, a shaping and twisting like an artisan.]

Then, my dear Jing Yuan. My old and young alike. Draw in and listen close to Solomon the Wise.

"There is only one way to stop an ouroboros."

[

--

Once upon a time, there was a child.

Born of man, the child knew not of how strong their fate intertwined, and their life stayed simple and happy.

One day, the child was taken. Brought to the realm of demons, against their will, to test their power and the strength of their resolve. Though frightened, the child was brave. They would not be devoured. They would not show weakness.

In their studies, they found power they did not know that a human could possess. In the grasp of their new experience, they were challenged to the source of their heritage - not just from a human, but from an angel as well.

And, over their time under the watch of the demonic, their heart softened, for they had found connection, and affection, with both the angels they had come to meet, and to the demons they were meant to control.

In this, with the birthright of a human, the bloodline of an angel, and the heart of powerful demons, they blossomed. And once again, they returned, to that life of simple happiness, now stretched across realms they never knew possible.

However--

As they continued in their growth, like the roots of a tree, their power stretched beyond the space of its anchoring. As they reveled in their happiness, the world around them started to shudder under their inexperience. Like a pot boiling to overflow, their body could not stand as a vessel for the many avenues they'd opened... and it was the world that was quickly paying the price.

Like the maw of a great beast, the ground started to open under the roots of their power. Forests of humanity started to collapse. Ancient tombs in the firey pits of hell crumbled. Even heaven itself was not left untouched, the rivers of its bounty drying and falling away.

For the three realms are a ring. An ouroboros of balance, of death and rebirth. And as one child grew so quickly, so erratically, across the stretch of all worlds, the ouroboros strengthened beyond itself.

The worlds began to devour each other. Those demons the child had once considered so dear began to forget them as the beast of their power devoured their memories as well. The angels that loved them so watched and waited from a distance.

And, as the kingdoms of heaven and hell moved to intercept, a man appeared from the depths of candlelight. He wore the cloak of the reaper, and carried in his hand a book. And on that book was a label. The Prison of the Soul.

"I have brought you salvation, my dear Ouroborus", said the man to the child. "For I come from the depths of that which controls life, of every angel and devil and human that exists. I see the light of their candles fading under the great storm that is your presence."

The child begged the man for help. "These are my loved ones! This is my home! These are worlds I do not want to see devoured! Please, what must I do?"

The man looked at their plight, and nodded in understanding, opening the pages of his tome. From it emerged a blade as black as night, whose presence chilled the air even as the man continued to speak.

"There is only one way to stop the cycle of an ouroboros. For you can never stop it from eating, nor can you take away its meal. So you must sever it completely, from head to tail.

This is the power of death itself, my child. A dagger which can sever anything. But I warn you that it does not come without a price."

"What is your price?" cried the child. "Please, I must know!"

The man took the dagger, and pointed it towards the demons the child had loved so deeply.

"There is your price. Drive your blade through those powerful beings so close to you. Their deaths will grant you pause, and you will be able to sever the power that roots you to the world's destruction."

The child grew hateful of the man. They spat and cursed. They wept and pleaded. And their loved ones grew further, their worlds grew emptier, and their heart ached more and more.

So they took up the knife. They found their most beloved, the most powerful under their control, who barely remembered their name. And though they warned him of their actions, he only looked on them with love, and bowed his head in allowance.

As they raised the blade to drive it forward, the light of heaven shot down, through earth and hell alike. For the demons' hearts were not the only ones the child held so tightly in their hands. And as an angel fell from the heavens, a sin against his Father tearing his wings, he used what love he kept for those below to pass along a blessing of his own. An artifact, stolen straight from the thrones of the archangels, whose power alone shattered the motion of their magic.

In stasis, the worlds shifted. Their balance rippled. And the roots so deeply ingrained began to withdraw, for the sacrifice of the angel had turned their boiling pot into a lake, hungry to be filled, eager to accept the flow in and out of the world.

The former angel hid his scars, hiding his intent so that the child might keep their happiness. The beloved demon embraced the child, keeping their anger at bay so that the child might keep their happiness. And the man cloaked like the reaper withdrew, dissatisfied and biding his time to return, but refusing further intervention, so that the child might keep their happiness.

And from the bottom of its new lake, with all the time in the world, the cycle still continues to spin. Between human and angel and demon alike, in a delicate balance, devouring and growing. Potential and disaster in every gulp, masked with love and companionship.

For, truly, there is only one way to stop an ouroboros.]

[Dude wtf why do you talk so much all the time]

[what is with all the other norths and not enjoying storytime............. :(]

[ And Day thought Creation was a mess. ]

[lol and also lmao

Don't worry, at least it's just a story (?)]

[ ... ]

...Interesting.

[ From the look on Jing Yuan's face and his thoughtful tone, there is more to it, but he always aims to at least phrase his words more carefully instead. Also most definitely here because he has to think on the exact phrase he wishes to assign such a story.

He is reminded of how he feels about the fact the balance must be sustained, and he imagines that is the root of the bittersweetness that Solomon warned about.

In the end, he can very well handle it, though his heart is still quite a bit so soft; where the hidden part of him who likes stories where the traditional good triumphs, and everyone lives happily ever after, aches. Even if he no longer indulges it, somehow, in defiance of everything, of the many years that have gone by, and the erosion of people, feelings, and memories, it persists.

As he lets the feelings pass over, though, he begins to wonder about something else entirely. If this story is one that Solomon holds close to himself, because of his own feelings; just, perhaps, some idle thoughts. ]

I imagine that this isn't exactly a story that should be told around bedtime to little ones. Though, I do also compliment you well on such an incredible performance...you capture the tragedy and triumph of the story all the way to its definite end. Not many could manage that.

I wonder...if this is a reflection of your own thoughts as well.

My thoughts? [About what, exactly? He chuckles.]

It's just a story, dear Jing Yuan. Not everything must be taken with meaning. Sometimes a role is played simply as that - a role.

[ Jing Yuan blinks at that, though he nods specifically to the first question. ]

You say as much, and indeed it is true that not everything much have meaning. Though is it not also true you placed quite a great deal of thought into this as well? So that there is certainly a meaning of some sort to it all?

I imagined that, perhaps, it could be reflection of how you viewed matters in regards to humans, demons, and the divine.

I suppose I was wrong, then? And it is more about one's role in certain matters, than anything too deep on the matter?

[ He is quite curious himself. He does not ask because he necessarily disbelieves...rather, Jing Yuan wants a bit more insight into the story he told. It seems so heavy and thought-provoking that he can't help but inquire into it. ]

Hahah... my, you search deep. [He taps a finger idly to his lips.] Maybe it was neither.

[There was a reason he kept things warped, vague, without name and with his own role twisted just enough from reality to keep it easier to digest. A mysterious and cruel being, rather than a man calmly trying to keep a situation under control until he no longer could.]

It is what others take from my stories that matters to me, and not what I gain from telling them. Did it make you reconsider the relationship to the supernatural? Did it make you wonder the purpose of roles?

Or did you spend it trying to hear what the story said about its storyteller, and not what its storyteller himself had to say?

[ Jing Yuan merely gives Solomon a sheepish smile when he makes the comment about him searching deep in this matter.

Was it really neither, he wonders? Perhaps it goes to show that this story certainly quite had a profound effect on him that he doesn't immediately move onwards from it and simply draw short conclusions about it. ]

Nothing will make me reconsider the relationship to the supernatural.

[ As a General, he really can't afford to. ]

As for roles, perhaps in the sense of 'does it have to be this way' to an extent in the way those roles were presented.

[ But other than that...he doesn't think so. He hasn't put down the role of a General even if deep in his heart he desires to do so and retire. Venture places beyond the stars, whathaveyou. ]

And as for your other questions...I wondered about both. What the story had to say about the storyteller, and what the storyteller himself was trying to say. There is no need to limit myself, yes?

[He shrugs to the first two points. Fair enough. It was never his job to change people's minds.]

Mm, I think that's common enough. But what make a story if the roles don't have their purposes? How would the story change, if things weren't so set in stone?

[It's all questions for the sake of thinking, not to say one way or another. Solomon knows very well the truth of the story, of the delicate context and the truths and lies told in abundance. Those aren't meant for the space of his tale.]

Did I ever say otherwise, General?

We can dwell in the profound and the broad as much as we like. Just know that there is no "wrong" in what you choose to take from it all. I have no specific answers to give, so maybe see what comes from your own heart, instead.

It could certainly change things; the ending of a story, the motivations, the characters themselves.

Roles can certainly have their purposes. Though, it doesn't mean that they have to be set in stone.

[ Jing Yuan answers easily and freely. The irony is, perhaps, quite funny to speak these words; though they are easily thoughtfully spoken when provided towards the context of a story. For the sake of thinking.

And not, of course, outside of one. ]

Why don't we do so for a little while, then? ...I wonder, however, is it only answers that may result from my own heart — but also your own. I would certainly be most curious to find out, even if it is a story you told, and you hold vaguely as well as clearly whatever answers you defined by telling the tale yourself.

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Teenagers Scare the Living Shit Out Of Me etc. etc.

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