☆ A Strange Tale

[faileas]

Name: Sowilo (petaluridae)
Date: June 13
Format: Video

The face that comes over the video might be familiar to some: delicate-featured, red-haired, bearing the un-hidden features of a jewel-red dragonfly Fae. Sowilo is known to be brusque and haughty, but today he only looks serious, occasionally glancing off-screen, where the sounds of another couple of people in the office can be heard.

“Two Wilders came back from the Northern Outpost this morning. Apparently a dozen of them went missing a handful of days ago and the search party has only turned up these two. Overcurious meatheads that they are, they found trouble on a trip out. They are not seriously injured-” He holds a hand up. “-but they have the strangest story.”

“While exploring after a rockslide they came upon a tunnel, and like the geniuses they are, decided to follow it down. Very far down, to caverns where they were ambushed and captured handily.” There is a quiet protest in the background, and murmuring, but Sowilo pays it no mind. “The two who returned were purposefully released, and they’ve described to Theodore an underground city full of actual, living people. What in the world do you all know about this? Their leader sent a message that she will release the other ten Wilders safely if “only the travelers who have laid eyes upon her fair city before” accept her cordial invitation to her realm. Doesn’t take a scholar to assume she’s talking about you Mirrorbound. You have a way of attracting trouble, don’t you?”

“I’m sure you understand why this is a… delicate situation for the Coven, and for Aefenglom. We have no records of any city existing underground - we know absolutely nothing about these people, what they want, or what they are capable of. The message was very clear that representatives from the Coven or Aefenglom were not welcomed, so our hands are a bit tied. Their leader wishes to speak with some of you directly, even.” Glittering red eyes narrow.

“We leave on the 16th from the North Gate and will use the teleporter to the Northern Outpost. From there, Theodore and I will accompany you as far as we can, but I imagine it won’t be far at all.” There is a moment of hesitation here from the stuck-up Fae, and he looks a bit like he bit into a lemon. “I suppose we are relying on you all. Please know that this is an unprecedented situation and could turn dangerous for all of us. Not to mention, if they decide they don’t like us, we’ll likely have to abandon the Northern Outpost and all the progress made up there…

I suppose decide among yourselves what you’re willing to do. We will not force anyone's cooperation.”

This is the initial kick-off post for What Lies Beneath! Feel free to use this post to let characters discuss and react with each other as you want over the network or in-person. If you need an NPC reply, please say so in your comment header! NPC replies will come from the journal petaluridae. Otherwise, the event log itself will be up on the 16th. And one more reminder, you still have until 3PM EST on the 15th to sign up for a possible chat with the Matriarch!

Comments

[glitzandglamour]

I see...

[Still a strange ritual, but it makes a bit more sense now. As long as nobody's forcing anybody into giving themselves up to death, he supposes. Mettaton reads the latter half of her comment then. (Don't feel any pressure, Mikasa. Text is just fine. Mettaton just likes to talk!)]

Was there moss in the village? I'm afraid I didn't get to spend much time prancing about... All I could gather was that they wanted to know where my Bonded was, and that we were thoroughly beneath ground. It reminded a little of where I come from, actually! In appearance. Flora adapted to live in caverns... Bioluminescence... Caverns that restrain the size a city could sprawl.

[A rare moment of self-disclosure for Mettaton, considering. How often has he spoken of where he comes from, given how curious he is about humanity instead?]

[stopfen]

I meant the village that was burnt near the outpost.

It looks like they're going to let us passed the market this time.

[Mtt please, this wasn't the place to get sentimental, not when she knew people would be watching]

[glitzandglamour]

[It's not sentimental! He's just telling her. He doesn't mind if anyone else knows. Regardless, Mettaton reads her comment and nods, though it can't be seen.]

Ah. No, I haven't been to the outpost. That's why I didn't know what you meant. Well, I trust your insight. If you think the moss at the outpost and the moss in the caverns could be related, well... who knows?

[The sound of a smile renewed when he continues:]

It sounds like they'll be letting us a well beyond the market, darling. I think they'll be letting us directly to their leader! What do you think about that request for audience? I'm impressed... Staging a kidnapping. Releasing two captors, to relay their message. Such tension...

>Voice

[stopfen]

[It's close enough. She's definitely gotten warier now on the network than she had been. The whole stalking service thing...But given they're talking serious business where she has no feelings, she switches to voice. It's easier.]

Oh... There was a village close to where the outpost was built. It was mostly burnt down, but there wasn't any signs of Cywd in the village, just mold.

[Can you hear the shrug Mtt?]

I'd rather leave that to other people. But I'm going to look around, it's not as if I have to worry about Cywd there.

[glitzandglamour]

[Does Mikasa still have to hunt for keys on her keyboard... cute...

Her notes on the village are noted, and will be useful later, certainly. Especially when he realizes they have to rely on that outpost to get to the tunnels.]

It's lovely to hear your voice, darling.

[Since she switched.]

Anyway. But what do you make of this hostage situation...? The fact that they demand our presence. Does it worry you any more than the Cwyld itself does?

[stopfen]

You heard my voice the other day Mettaton... [Granted she was still a little bit sulky. Though their deal was technically over now.]

I can't handle the talking. But I've been in a situation like that before, you can fight something like that. Infection you can't fight.

[She'd rather do down fighting if it came to that.]

[glitzandglamour]

So you soothe yourself knowing that this threat can be dealt with via combat. But they looked pretty strong down there! Do you think we could take them on in a fight, darling?

[Honestly, Mettaton's not so sure. He's a Puca. He's got his claws, his legs, and his art for deception. That's it. He couldn't take on those brawny Turnskin with their powerful, Bonded Witches. Though he feels better considering he has his own Witch in a Bond... If he didn't stand a chance, he could at least be whisked away.

He's not much of a fighter. Between fighting and diplomacy, Mettaton is surprisingly more diplomatic. If... being charming and seductive can be called diplomacy.]

But at least it's not an infection. That much is true.

[stopfen]

I'd rather lose a fight and die trying than slowly waste away. [Some might not like that description of illness. But it was a sad thing, watching something trying to survive but too ill or injured to prevent it. Even if death was a natural event. There was something about being able to see it getting closer as opposed to suddenly being killed.]

[glitzandglamour]

... Did I ever tell you that my very first contact with Aefenglom was in a dream? A robot, dreaming. How absurd. [This was before he became organic, for the record.] Anyway, I contracted the Cwyld immediately! Then... I caught on fire... And I woke up.

[You too can stop the Cwyld by setting yourself on fire!]

[stopfen]

...I think you're skipping a few parts there. [But there's a sigh, or was that a groan?]

That's how I first saw anything about this place. In the dream where I met you.

[glitzandglamour]

Oh, but I was here for about six months before you! Remember?

[It's voice, but you can almost hear him raising a pointer finger in objection.]

I'm not skipping a thing. I caught the Cwyld. It ravaged me... It was the first time I'd ever felt pain so intensely. And then I caught on fire! But I didn't die, really... I only remember returning to the dream at another point...

[stopfen]

I know that. [She was talking about the sudden jump from infected to fire.]

Unless the infection set you on fire? But I've not heard anyone else mention that.

[glitzandglamour]

No. The trees were telling us that fire was the only way to cure it... And, knowing that I'm heat-proof, I knew I could take a bit of fire! But I just found myself consumed by fire, there then gone... then alert in some other part of the dream.

That's how it happened.

[stopfen]

[Mettaton, you are getting the chinhands. You cannot see it, but you're getting it. Then in complete deadpan.]

...It's good that you learnt about not being heatproof that way.

[metalcrusher]

Oh, no. I rushed into the fire again, in Ieneuer. I was fine!

[JUST IMAGINE... having a dream that demonstrates fire bringing you to your demise, and then being Mettaton and deciding that doesn't matter.

Apparently it didn't.]

I'm still heatproof, darling. No worries there. But I might not be, if infected... That's all. At least we know fires eradicate the Cwyld! But they also eradicate the host! Too bad!

[stopfen]

I did the same...Jumping through it is different to being alight. [Mettaton...How are you alive.]

So being infected removed your immunity. Did you tell the Coven, or one of the healers? They might find that helpful.

[glitzandglamour]

No, I didn't. I didn't realize it could be important. Maybe I should... They DO take a fascination with my body, after all. But who doesn't...? Ha.

[stopfen]

I didn't...The fae in the forest didn't either. [Cause they absolutely hated it.]

[glitzandglamour]

They took fascination of an interesting, roundabout way, darling! They couldn't stand how sexy I am. And, how very metallic...

[he doesn't want to hear it.]

[stopfen]

Which is why they called you a thing? [Complete deadpan. ]

[glitzandglamour]

Sexual objectification, sweetheart. I don't care what they think, besides.

[Listen to his tone. As sharp and metallic as his angles and edges.]

They're not the one living with being made of metal...

Such a sassy icon

[stopfen]

I guess... [dryly] and me?

[why was she captivated by him then? Let's hear it. ]

it's my favorite

[glitzandglamour]

About you...

[He thinks about making a joke about how she looked at him when she was taking down that jackalope.

He doesn't. He remembers a time he made a joke to Soren about almost eating him, and it didn't go over well.]

Your disappointment in seeing me in my original body... Yes. It's because you find this one much more handsome. Yes!!

[imagine being mettaton]

[stopfen]

[The recording starts but there is only silence. Why did he exclaim that, with the voice.





Okay speaking. ]

I don't notice things like that. [appearance didn't matter, what was inside did. ]

[glitzandglamour]

[Like there's just this assumption that he's in his EX body right now, obviously... He feels like his modulated, smooth, boyband voice should give it away!

Mettaton hums shortly.]

Then what do you notice, if not glamorous robots?