02. A giant hissing monster of a snake.
17. A shadow version of yourself hurls insults at you.
06. A wil'o'wisp that leads them to a quiet sanctuary.
Ssss. Atone jerks her head up, glances around with wide eyes. Ssss. The sound raises her hackles and she begins to look around wildly. Where the hell is it coming from? She's alone here -- a sneer, even high, kin abandon her -- but the hissing continues, loud and persistent. She goes to take one step forward and her ears pin back, it's coming from behind her!
The doe swivels, hooves slipping through a dusting of snow, and her tongue curls against the roof of her mouth. A giant snake, the size of a boar, is hissing at her. Its shimmering dark brown hide is littered with white splotches. Between its voluminous coils she can see patches of gold fur and yet the snake's bulbous black eyes never leave her. She has the distinct feeling that it is hungrier than its current catch will satisfy. A feeling that is amplified as the mouth opens. Once flat fangs rise and she feels rather entranced as venom dripdripdrops. It rises up, up, up and lunges!
A shriek is squandered in her throat as she makes to move, only to trip and land flat on her face. She cringes as she waits for the snake's fang to pierce her hide, for its girth to surround and squeeze her to death. But it never comes. She takes a shallow breath, dares to look up. Expects to see the monstrous serpent waiting for her. Instead a bark of malicious laughter greets her.
Oh right. She's high. Yet it doesn't lessen the surprise at seeing herself -- draped in black fur and a veil of shadows -- laughing as though she's the most hilarious disappointment that ever did exist. And, fu -- "My, my. What language!" the shadow queen sneers, mockingly. -- Atone already feels the headache pounding at the back of her skull.
"Yes, well, it's been a rough day."
"As it should be. You are, after all, a monster. It's no less than you deserve."
"Says a past version of me. One that I no longer am."
"Oh do keep telling yourself that," the shadow mocks. And it's strange how light and condescending her voice is compared to Atone's own deeper throatier tones. So theatrical.
"There's nothing you can say to me that I haven't already said to myself," the doe volleys. "So just get lost."
"No, I don't think I will. You don't deserve peace of mind. You don't get to pretend you've changed."
"I have changed! I'm not you anymore, not in this lifetime!"
"You'll always be a monster. Just lurking beneath that pretty little mask, I'm waiting!"
Atone grits her teeth, tries not to let the words echo inside her own head. But they do, as they always have. And she laughs, even high she's a fucking mess.
User Image The laughter seems to unhinge the shadow queen and her voice becomes thick with threat, "No one will ever love you."
And she knows that. She does. But it still hurts. And she screams, teeth bared, as she runs at herself intent to maul her to death. Only the black fur melts and the shadow dissipate. And then she's alone again. A mess of sobs that crumble her to the ground.
It's after her throat is raw, breaths slow and shuddering, that she hears a tiny "hey!". She opens her eyes to find a light blue light floating in front of her face. She jerks upright, scrambles back. But it only giggles.
"Come on," the light instructs, patient. And slowly, as if one step takes all the trust she has, she follows. It is a quiet journey unless she pauses. Then the light coaxes her forward until she moves just to shut the annoying thing up. In the end, it pays off.
She emerges in a ring of apple trees. The inner sanctum is dotted with rose bushes and butterflies drift lazily as birdsong trills overhead. The sun is warm and the grass is green. The air is heavy with perfume of spring and she falls to her knees into a bow. A beautiful sanctuary. So beautiful... She rises to enjoy it. Or has the memory of doing so as she drifts off to sleep, seemingly, hours later.
It's not nearly as dramatic to an outsider as it is inside her head.02. A broken branch.
17. A random kin talks to you and tries to help.
06. A floating jellyfish that stings the hell out of them.
For one, there is no snake. Just a branch with a smattering of leaves that rustle in the wind. Which only makes the wide-eyed fear of the doe that much more hilarious. Especially when she trips.
One onlooker, sweet in disposition, moves forward to help. Only to end up met with distaste. The conversation makes little sense and soon the doe high on mushroom is telling the other doe to get lost. Even when the doe obliges, Atone continues to talk to the empty air. Until she bares her teeth. The onlookers scatter and when the doe drops the ground, sobbing, it's no longer amusement they find. Most of them wander off.
A few remain to watch the doe. And they watch as a floating jellyfish's tentacles drag just over her hide, she rises and wanders off. The jellyfish follows as the doe, also, seems to follow something. She walks and walks and walks. The jellyfish stings and stings and stings. Amusement and giggles ring out as the doe seems nonplussed by the stings. They share knowing looks, she's going to be very bothered by them when she wakes up.