Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

Shadow Stephanie groans.

"This is, like, my thing. You know? I'm a Shadow, I kill people." Shadow Stephanie says.

 

"I know it's your thing, but the holidays aren't about you. They're about being with your family, with your community."
Pause.
"I'm also biased, because it's the one time the blades won't give me order after order."

________________________________

"She said you were the last, that I needed to watch over you... she gave me everything I have, and now to know that she was hiding something all along..."

It's got some pictures, but it's not a picture book like Ytir was hoping.
"Letters and numbers? Do the scribbles mean something, then?"

 

"Yeah. Writing's complicated. It can understood through tough thorough thought, though."
I crack a grin.
"But this isn't a picture exclusive book, you might be looking for something else."

 

"Oh, I thought it was the one with, like, two pictures on each page. I saw someone put a book like that on that shelf, I guess I just forgot which book it was."
Pause.
"...Could you check the ones next to it?"

 

"Sure."
I nod, putting the book back, checking the next ones on plants until I find a picture book.
"So how are things on Maralune? Or, where you live."

 

It was the book directly to the left.
"Things are okay. It's nice being able to breathe some of the respite air without getting chased off. Turns out that we make really good farmers, or at least, that's what chief says. A bunch of us are told to dig up the dirt every now and then, and I'm not sure why, but it's always in the same spots. A few months later, some green thing stuck out where I dug, and one of the humans said that it's a growing plant. There's no picture books in the respite, so I thought that maybe there would be a few here. And... there's a lot of books here."

 

"There certainly is. Well, I'm glad things are working out well with you guys."
I show him the book, flipping through some of the pages.
"This the one?"

 

He nods.
"Yeah, I think that's it."
Pause.
"Things really are looking up, but we're stuck with a sick reminder that some human was fused to a house. Chief said we should leave it as a memorial, though it kind of smells like... well... ruin."

 

I crouch down, handing the book to him.
"Oh, yeah, him... I wouldn't worry about it too much."
Pause.
"Say, how'd you get here? I thought the portal only opened for us."

 

"It's always open. It just... seems to disappear when you get far away." He says, turning to a few pages that show a corn stalk growing.

 

"Noted."
Pause.
"Is corn all you grow?"

 

"No, this just looks like the sprout thing. Is the plant called corn?"

 

"Yes. It's normally a common plant, easy to grow, especially in large bunches. Each plant, or stalk, if cared for correctly, produces at least one 'ear' of corn, easily enough to feed someone of your size well."

 

"So that's how the story goes?"

 

He turns the page, then seems to have a realization.
"Ooooh... that little thing is going to grow into that? How does it do that without eating?"

"Yes. I was told that your siblings were already gone, but... now it sounds like that they weren't gone, but hiding. From her."

 

"They were living their own life... until I came and killed them because of some false contracts."
He starts to break down again.

 

"So I'll possess people and kill their entire family, problem solved! I used to do this at this time anyway, befor-" Shadow Stephanie is cut off by a ringing sound.

"Hold on." Shadow Stephanie says, taking out a phone.

"Hello? Oh, hey. What do you think I'm doing at night? That was a rhetorical question...Yeah, kind of. I guess? What do you need help with? Seriously? I've helped you with that so many times, can't you do it on your own at this point? I know, you love and adore my epic skills so much and you need me there, but I'm with someone. Take a guess. No, not him you idiot. Ugh, it's Sivius. What do you mean 'Who's Sivius?'. My boyfriend. My new boyfriend. The one with the blades. Ugh, whatever, I'll see if I can help if I get some spare time to help. I know. See you then, bye." Shadow Stephanie says on the phone, wandering around aimlessly before hanging up.

There's a scream from the entrance of the alleyway as someone notices Sivius and Shadow Stephanie, running off.

 

This drug takes root deeper than I thought. I must cleanse my very soul if I'm to rise up again.

I channel all my energy into expelling the drug

 

“Well, they make their own food in a process called photosynthesis. To sum it up, humans, and other animals, have a byproduct, or something they create and do not use, called carbon dioxide, which plants use with water and sunlight to make a sort of food for plants. Their byproduct is then oxygen, which humans and other animals use to breathe.”
I explain at a moderate pace.

 

"Was that Aj?"

You...
...come back to your senses and throw up.

Pause.
"Sooo... plant takes bad air and eats it?"

Anne just tries to warm you up to comfort you, Rema keeping quiet.