[Heart Game] From the ashes we can build

[castaside]

WHO: Macaque, Red Son, Wukong, Korone, Donnie, Cole, Wash
WHAT: Soul fixin'
WHEN: March 9
WHERE: Red Son's house, Blossomcrown
WARNINGS: will be marked

Comments

Re: Level S - East Door

[castaside]

There is a small but weighty anchor leaning against the nightstand, and a small sack on top of it.

Re: Level S - East Door

[forgingfires]

"I wonder if there's something like peacefully resting in the memories," he said, looking at the two before reaching for the sack.

Re: Level S - East Door

[castaside]

By the way the small sack jingles, it's full of something small and metallic.

You feel safe holding it, and curious about what's inside.

Re: Level S - East Door

[forgingfires]

Well, he'll give into the curiosity. Opening the bag to see what's inside.

Re: Level S - East Door

[castaside]

There are several dozen Yuan coins in the bag. As you peek inside, you get a memory:

You are Macaque, and you are torn.

Wukong is stuck in the scroll, along with your brother the Demon Bull King and his family. You helped MK, and no one seems to be expecting much from you, and it would be easy to walk away...

You can't. You did that once and regretted it every day since. Never again.

Your hands clench into fists as something inside you fights the urge to volunteer to go into the scroll with the kid. It could happen again. You could find him, and he could turn his back. He has the kid now, what could he need you for? Especially after everything.

But you walk out, and grumble to save face, and throw your lot in with Wukong. Just as you always have.

Re: Level S - East Door

[forgingfires]

Ah.

More time of what happened while he was trapped. Or would be trapped. A reminder of he really doesn't know what will happen, between the time he was taken and the rest of them, beyond freedom and a day at the beach.

What he'll live through in the scroll, or how his family came to agree is a mystery.

He looks over the coins thoughtfully.

Re: Level S - East Door

[castaside]

There is no further memory in the coins. You feel a cautious optimism when you look at them, however.

Re: Level S - East Door

[noodleboi]

"Only one way to find out..." MK reached and touched the anchor.

Re: Level S - East Door

[castaside]

When you touch the anchor, you feel intense relief. You know that there is someone who will stay with you, no matter what. It's all you've ever wanted. The feeling is so intense it feels uncontainable. And it frightens you, because you've had that and lost it before, but you can't throw the chance away. It hurts, but that doesn't matter, because you hope. Even still, you hope.

Re: Level S - East Door

[noodleboi]

The relief was needed. So needed right now. He smiled as he picked it up. He held it close. He had someone. Macaque had someone. Given where it was, MK was sure it was Cole. Hope. He needed to keep this close. He looked at Red Son.

"This is good. It didn't have a memory though. What about yours?"

Re: Level S - East Door

[forgingfires]

"His debating whether or not to help you get Wukong from out of the scroll," he said, idling flitting the coins between his fingers. "It is a decision to reach out to help even if it means risking Wukong hurting him..."

Re: Level S - East Door

[noodleboi]

"Good thing that wasn't what happened," MK said. He looked at the void in the bed and back at the anchor.

"So it's his bed. This is about having someone close and being hopeful. I think this should go in there. What do you think?"

Re: Level S - East Door

[forgingfires]

Red Son looks at the bed, considering it. There is having someone close and being hopeful. Then there was taking a chance to let someone in.

This was a place to feel like home. But also the bedroom which isn't always the most PERSONAL space for Macaque.

"I want to take a look in the other rooms, just in case," Red Son said. "Macaque will sleep with people without it being home, we should understand the area first."

Re: Level S - East Door

[noodleboi]

MK blinked and nodded. Oh. That made sense.

"Good point. Okay. Uh living room next then the kitchen?" He asked and headed out the door and back into the living room to look around there.

Re: Level S - East Door

[forgingfires]

"Yes, I think so." He'll hold onto the coins and cautious optimism and will go into the living room to look around.

Re: Level S - East Door

[castaside]

In the living room, in addition to furniture and beams of sunlight, you find a stone with a spiral carved into it, and a small branch of plum blossom that is in bloom despite that is divorced from any soil or water.

Re: Level S - East Door

[forgingfires]

He'll move to the plum blossom branch and pick it up.

Re: Level S - East Door

[castaside]

You are Macaque, and you are burning.

The Lady Bone Demon's ice is no match for the Samadhi fire that you've just been struck with. It's what you wanted. You knew it would hurt equally as much to remove her ice from your soul as it did to have it in there, growing and consuming you.

You grit your teeth, leap back, and smile. Breathing a relieved sigh for the first time since she revived you.

Wukong is probably about to knock you silly, but who cares? You'll be free.

Free to act against her.

But first, the burning as the fire rips its way through you, all the way down deep until it decides to stop on its own. You knew that was a risk, but when you've got no choice, you do what needs doing.

The air you're breathing may be overly hot and clogged, but it doesn't come with the burden of servitude.

Re: Level S - East Door

[forgingfires]

Oh.

The feeling of the fire hits like a truck, the feeling all too familiar. He may have resistance to the fire, but no one has true immunity. He's felt the burn when he's held it for too long. He still has his own scars from it, in the fact he needs prescription lenses at all.

There is freedom with the fire though. Freedom from pain and turmoil and everything-

He breathes in sharply, stumbling back, shaking his head. His free hand reaching out for MK.

Re: Level S - East Door

[noodleboi]

MK watched Red Son as he reached out. He took the hand and squeezed it. He kissed Red Son's knuckled.

"I got you. Hey. I'm here. You're okay. What is it?"

Re: Level S - East Door

[forgingfires]

"Its." Red Son shook his head. "Him using the Samadhi Fire to get free of the Lady Bone Demon," he said. Squeezing MK's hand, trying to focus on his touch and the affection. "Bad headspace memory for me, that's all."

Re: Level S - East Door

[noodleboi]

"Oh. Uh. Here," MK held out his bag. "Slip it in. I can carry it. ...Mine was him feeling good after the surgery. Need another candy or touch a nicer memory? Will that help?"

Re: Level S - East Door

[noodleboi]

MK stopped and stared at the stone. Oh. Oh he kinda recognized that. MK was drawn to it and touched the stone without thinking.

Re: Level S - East Door

[castaside]

You are Macaque, and for once, you feel damn good.

Sure, letting Donnie operate on your brain was a drastic step. But you've just left from seeing Wukong, and it was easy and effortless, like it had once been. You'd have given anything to get back to that. It's-- maybe not the only thing that you wanted anymore, but it was always there. Ever since your falling out, it's what you wanted.

At least this way if Wukong can't love you back, you'll be fine with that. Not pining after him, tapping your foot and waiting for him to catch up. If he's going to fall for you, you can fall together.

Sure, there's a bit of unease. But things look to have worked perfectly as far as you can tell, and you've been telling yourself that he'd want this. Wukong will be happier if your feelings just went away.

For the first time in a long time, it feels like things are going to be okay.

Re: Level S - East Door

[noodleboi]

MK was so conflicted by this. Macaque was happy. He wasn't hurting or worried. He wasn't anxious. But it meant he was breaking. This good feeling wouldn't last. It would bleed into feeling nothing at all. It would rob him of this good feeling around Wukong and around himself. MK gently picked up the rock. Okay. This memory probably wasn't it. He wasn't sure what would be it yet but this wasn't it.

"Okay. Um. Into the bag with you," He said gently and slipped it in. "Not this one. Not yet."