[MU] - DECEMBER STORYTELLING / MEMORY SHARE

[lifeaftr_mods]

Something is wrong.

This may not very well be obvious, at first. The Storyteller is not present to put forth yet another diatribe, informative or apologetic, and the backdrop of guttering flame and sandy campfire is as present as ever...albeit briefly.



Those who tell their stories will start to notice something...odd taking place. Indeed, no matter how they intend to begin their tale, the land of Mu will immediately start to warp to accommodate it, or something utterly unlike it, until storytellers and listeners alike may find themselves in an exact recreation of a seemingly random memory, in the most stark and painstaking of detail. There is no altering the memory, nor is there any preventing it once it's begun to play - you will simply have to witness memories that are not your own this go around.

Furthermore, stories that take place in worlds other than LifeAftr will be, frankly, inevitable. Those memories, too, will be recreated, to be relived by the teller and lived by the listener.

---

It is time, once more, for you to tell a story...with a slight twist! This is, in fact, our first player plot, as provided by Dragon! The initial setting will be familiar for oldcomers, and newcomers will recognize it from the introduction they received in their dreams.

Yet for this Storytelling only, people can imagine whatever stories they wish, from both their homes and their time on LifeAftr, as long as they don't mind the fact that others will be reliving those stories in the form of an impromptu memory share.

Even those who prefer not to voice their stories aloud are not safe this time around. If the memory is recalled in essence, Mu will shift to accommodate it in full.

There is, however, a benefit to this: those who venture memories to be relived will receive both a befuddled apology from the Storyteller, who will assert that this was most definitely not meant to happen (they're the Storyteller, not the Rememberer!), as well as a tired promise that the relived memories will be worth two offerings each, as if in compensation.

Not that it counts for much, probably.

Comments

III. is this what you wanted

[scourgingstars]

You can't be serious.

Oh, I think you'll find that I am. [Said Ardyn Izunia, standing upon the pier of Galdin Quay and handing over some highly official-looking paperwork to a stunned dockmaster. The sun was bright overhead, which set a nameless something recoiling with discomfort beneath his skin and behind his eyes--yet his tone was light and his mood was one of malicious satisfaction.]

An official request from the Niflheim Empire for the port to be shut down and for no ships to leave Lucian shores until the cessation of the treaty signing. You'll note Emperor Aldercapt's signature, of course. [The tone made it clear that the 'request' was anything but, and by the look on the dockmaster's face as he took the document and began to read it...the term 'direct order' might have been more fitting.]

[But oh, today was such a nice day for Ardyn; there was a dark sense of satisfaction paired with anticipation amidst the daylight-protesting darkness in his head setting an ache behind yellow eyes. Today was simply spectacular, because things were falling perfectly into place. The grand capital city of Insomnia would be leveled by morning, with its prince and his retainers safely a distance away. Even the sunlight off the picturesque blue water couldn't ruin this, even the island in the...distance...]

[Ardyn's thoughts trailed off as his gaze drifted to the rock formation, and for a moment he forgot everything else. Forgot Insomnia's coming fall, forgot the conversation he'd been in the middle of, forgot he'd have to leave in the next five minutes to make it to the city he long predated. Forgot, for a moment, to hide the cold spiteful rage that was beginning to catch in his head like the small ember that would light a wildfire in an instant.]

Chancellor Izunia...?

What-? [He snapped back to the present moment in an instant, looking back to the dockmaster who now seemed equal parts stunned and confused.] Were you saying something?

I was, uh...just saying that you can tell the Emperor that we'll follow the order until the ceremony's over. Not like we have a choice.

Right, right. Of course. [Ardyn gestured vaguely with one hand, recovering his cheerfully cavalier attitude quickly and ignoring the muttered comment.] I shall leave you to it, then. [He turned on his heel, shaking off the lingering cold and furious sensation in his head. it was quite alright, Ardyn assured himself. Quite alright, because the whole two-thousand year affair would finally be ending soon. First he'd see to it that the Chosen King's hometown was handled; Glauca could deal with the current monarch, Ravus would handle the military. Overseeing the deployment of Diamond Weapon was Ardyn's responsibility.]

[The dark satisfaction returned with a vengeance as he spared a cold smirk and a sidelong glance to the island on the horizon. Oh, he'd not be going back there in this or any other lifetime. And those that had put him there would pay dearly even from beyond the veil.]

[It was easy to recognize the Chosen and his guards as Ardyn moved to leave Galdin Quay; even were they not all in Crownsguard black, the scrawny little blond tagging along was the spitting image of countless mass-produced MTs. The stolen research subject; goodness, had it really been only twenty years? Time was such a troubling thing to keep track of when one had so much of it.]

I'm afraid you're out of luck.

[So this was the boy of prophecy. His brother's descendant, a scrawny child who flinched at no more than a simple coin being tossed in his direction, who had no earthly idea what machinations were rearing up to strike in his home at this very instant.]

[A helpless and hapless prince. A broken clockwork soldier. A Shield who was more brawn than he was brains, and an adviser that simply watched things unfold. Beyond pathetic by Ardyn's evaluation; he expected at least one of them would be dead before the end, and the thought that such a thing might help the process along was carefully filed away for later.]

[An impatient traveler, he'd said, and oh wasn't it the truth. There was so much work to do, so many things to arrange and places to go. First Insomnia, then he'd see to it the child gathered his forebears' power, make sure he forged covenants with the useless gods.]

[It wouldn't be long, now. Not long at all compared to all the time he had waited.]

[The 'man of no consequence' stepped back with a smile, turned on his heel, and left the sunlit Galdin Quay, humming cheerfully to himself. The capital city would burn by nightfall, and that was something the would-be Founder King would not have missed for anything.]

[covertizer]

[ There's a lot here that, for the most part, goes over Akira's head. He doesn't know Ardyn or his world well enough to understand the nuances and the consequences of everything that was happening - other than maybe the bitterness, and the anger. That sort of thing was empathetic, even if you didn't experience it for the same reasons.

Politics, power, royalty and revenge. He could understand of three out of four of those. He'd know a young lady with the money and poise of a princess, but Haru wasn't royalty.

... ]

So, how old are you?

[ It... seems like a neutral starting point. Ignoring the fact this reeked of an adult manipulating a situation, with what looked like a focus on a young man only a little older than him. ]

[scourgingstars]

...I suppose 'old enough' will be an insufficient answer.

[Ardyn glanced off to the side, folding his arms. There wasn't much to be gained by evading questions like that at this point, but it wasn't exactly something he often came out and admitted.]

I ceased aging when I was somewhere around my thirties. And while I've long since lost track, historical record and the current calendar puts that at roughly two thousand years ago.

[covertizer]

[ He wouldn't have been placated by an evasive, dismissive answer like that, no. Akira looks like he was about to open his mouth and start arguing, but he cuts himself off when Ardyn elaborates.

...

And then he makes a show of tilting his head, squinting at Ardyn's face, then looking him up and down carefully. ]

... Not bad for 2,030 years old. Although I hear it's never too late to pick up a skin care routine, if you wanted to confuse people even more.

[scourgingstars]

...

. . .

[And that...actually got a half-smirk half-smile out of him.]

I think I look reasonably well for my age already, but the advice is appreciated.

[covertizer]

Hey, the basic cleansing-exfoliating-moisturising combination cannot and should not ever be dismissed, or ignored.

[ ... ]

It said so, right in the beauty and fashion magazine my friend modelled for.

[scourgingstars]

I don't quite believe the average fashion column accounts for immortal monsters, unfortunately.

[covertizer]

Do immortal monsters not have skin?

[ Are you or are you not a skinless nightmare, Ardyn, the common people want to know. ]

[scourgingstars]

Do you have eyes, I think you can answer that for yourself.

[covertizer]

Then you should moisturise. It's very important.

[ Mass media told him so. ]

[scourgingstars]

...I note you are taking the situation very much in stride.

[covertizer]

...

How would you like me to take it? I can add more screaming and running away, if that works for you?

[scourgingstars]

I think I'd prefer not. I don't get as much of that as I used to and I rather prefer things that way.

[covertizer]

Good. That sounds like a lot of effort. And I don't scare especially easy anymore.

[ ... Sort of. But he did headshot god, so that can change a person's perspective. ]

What were you trying to achieve, anyway?

[scourgingstars]

...In the simplest terms?

The end of the world so that I could be killed.

[covertizer]

...

.... Why is it always "the end of the world" with you guys?

[scourgingstars]

...I wasn't aware that was a common aspiration.

[covertizer]

There are countless ways to end the world without resorting to outright destruction, even if that's pretty popular in media.. Enslaving people's will, toying with them and using people in a secret test of character to decide the fate of the world...

It's not very original.

[scourgingstars]

Ah, well. If it's any consolation it was going to end regardless of whether I did anything or not. Ancient prophecies, predestination, things like that.

[covertizer]

[ Look at this unimpressed face. ]

The word prophecy just makes me want to screw it over and prove it wrong.

[want_to_belong]

You set us up!

[The revelation came suddenly and the shout came as an accusation. Oh, surely, he probably should have realized this sooner, but he wasn't the advisor. Hell, Ignis had even expressed surprise that Prompto had somehow passed high school. Since the time that they had first met Ardyn, so much had happened that he hadn't even had time to think back about their first meeting and what Ardyn's presence had really meant. He was just some weirdo on the dock back then.

The type of weirdo where he felt like he might need an adult around him.

It was no coincidence of the four that Prompto had been led on the most. When they whispered about 'keeping a watch' on Ardyn he had no problem agreeing, but the chancellor had only helped them. For what reasons he didn't know, but the bright-eyed boy had thought that meant they could actually ask him for help.

Now looking back he understood what a terrible judgment that was. All the things he had taken for granted were really nothing more than set pieces placed by Ardyn himself, all for sinister purposes. He was never interested in helping. He was out to get them from that very first meeting. And now it was finally dawning on him that Insomnia fell right after they met Ardyn.]

[scourgingstars]

...You're not seriously only realizing this now, are you?

[want_to_belong]

[He really should have kept his realization to himself and pretended he knew the whole time. Ardyn's question immediately stops him in his tracks. Of course Iggy probably knew. Whether Noctis or Gladio had ever thought back to that first day, he had no idea.

Meaning there was a good chance everyone but him already knew. He let out a tiny grunt-whimper before answering defensively.]

I never had time to think back on it!

[What with all the fighting gods and MTs and traveling the world...]

[scourgingstars]

Honestly, I rather assumed Noctis or Ignis might have caught you up.

Shall we place all the uncomfortable revelations on the table now and be done with it? Ardyn Lucis Caelum, current vessel to and avatar of the Starscourge, immortal Accursed, prophecized darkness, so on and so forth. Pleasure to meet you.

[want_to_belong]

They told me some stuff.

[To be frank, though, they'd been trying to shield him from a lot, and he knew about as much as the average person in a lot of things. His knowledge of history and Noctis' family line just wasn't as extensive as the others, and being taken from before he returned to the group, there were some things he hadn't yet seen.

Now, bring up video games and he could teach Ardyn a thing or two.

Talking about their first meeting with Ardyn simply hadn't come up. At least, he was viewing it that way rather than considering the group had kept anything from him. He mumbled somewhat to himself.]

I can't believe the whole time everything led back to you...

[He was piecing together just how much came back to Ardyn and it was ridiculous. They hadn't even met Ardyn when their whole adventure started, and were barely aware of him existing for part of it. For a moment it slipped his mind that Ardyn had even been acting different on Monsun, but the sudden introduction reminded him and he wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Well, if they were going to do introductions... He pursed his lips. What was he proud of?]

Prompto Argentum, Crownsguard and part-time photographer for Meteor Publishing.

[See? He had stuff he could say, too!]