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for_your_amusement [2024/03/16 18:49] – created bluefor_your_amusement [2024/03/16 19:00] (current) – blue
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 ||The Golden Saucer. Synechiae hadn't really known what to expect when she boarded onto the airship departing for the amusement park situated in the desert but it was a very different atmosphere from the city-state she had just left. People and noises and bright lights and colors that offset all of the gold on every piece of architecture. Little green creatures with top hats marched down the halls, stopping only to do a little dance before continuing on. Colorful balloons that dangled at the corner of every locale. Larger areas hosted even more people taking part in events while contraptions of various shapes and sizes played random noises and blew up in various colors whenever the person behind the machine did good. Or bad. It was difficult to tell. There was so much, and the elezen was feeling a tad bit overwhelmed.|| ||The Golden Saucer. Synechiae hadn't really known what to expect when she boarded onto the airship departing for the amusement park situated in the desert but it was a very different atmosphere from the city-state she had just left. People and noises and bright lights and colors that offset all of the gold on every piece of architecture. Little green creatures with top hats marched down the halls, stopping only to do a little dance before continuing on. Colorful balloons that dangled at the corner of every locale. Larger areas hosted even more people taking part in events while contraptions of various shapes and sizes played random noises and blew up in various colors whenever the person behind the machine did good. Or bad. It was difficult to tell. There was so much, and the elezen was feeling a tad bit overwhelmed.||
  
-Upon receiving her golden saucer credits, Syne had swept past the rows of games and attendants inviting one and all to take part in the spectacle. She went for the stairs leading up to a lounge area and a set of tables where people seemed to be playing a game involving tiles of some sort. Seemed like as peaceful a place as Syne was going to find at least. [[Relax and have fun, the colors urged, wavering in the air and seeming to react to the noise of an event going on behind her. They exploded into confetti and reformed again, only to do it over and over in time with the sounds.]]+Upon receiving her golden saucer credits, Syne had swept past the rows of games and attendants inviting one and all to take part in the spectacle. She went for the stairs leading up to a lounge area and a set of tables where people seemed to be playing a game involving tiles of some sort. Seemed like as peaceful a place as Syne was going to find at least.  
 + 
 +<fc #800000>Relax and have fun, the colors urged, wavering in the air and seeming to react to the noise of an event going on behind her. They exploded into confetti and reformed again, only to do it over and over in time with the sounds.</fc>
  
 The elezen remained tense, though she did find a nearby couch to settle herself on. She focused on the clicking of the tiles nearby and took a breath before pulling a small loom from her pocket and placing it in her lap. She teased at the threads with her fingers idly, but didn't go any further. Syne chanced a curious glance at the tables once more instead. The elezen remained tense, though she did find a nearby couch to settle herself on. She focused on the clicking of the tiles nearby and took a breath before pulling a small loom from her pocket and placing it in her lap. She teased at the threads with her fingers idly, but didn't go any further. Syne chanced a curious glance at the tables once more instead.
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 The elezen watched the match play out with quiet concentration. She was slightly too far to tell the symbols on the tiles being played, but the words the Au Ra woman declared felt vaguely familiar to her ears- muffled words spoken inside quiet homes. The gentle click clack of tiles. An activity gone unfinished when the participants were culled before they could bring their game to completion. The elezen watched the match play out with quiet concentration. She was slightly too far to tell the symbols on the tiles being played, but the words the Au Ra woman declared felt vaguely familiar to her ears- muffled words spoken inside quiet homes. The gentle click clack of tiles. An activity gone unfinished when the participants were culled before they could bring their game to completion.
  
-Syne hugged herself [[as the colors warped and bled into the air]], but still she stared until the match concluded, yellow gaze falling upon the beaten players as they retreated before eyeing the woman again.+Syne hugged herself <fc #800000>as the colors warped and bled into the air,</fc> but still she stared until the match concluded, yellow gaze falling upon the beaten players as they retreated before eyeing the woman again.
  
 "Was it a good game?" She asked. "Was it a good game?" She asked.
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 <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc> <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc>
  
-Syne tilted her head at woman's lengthy explanation, if only to smile softly in return to her latter words. [[The colors were giggling.]]+Syne tilted her head at woman's lengthy explanation, if only to smile softly in return to her latter words.  
 + 
 +<fc #800000>The colors were giggling.</fc>
  
 She leaned back against the couch and settled her hands into her lap once more,  fingers returning loosely to the hand loom. She leaned back against the couch and settled her hands into her lap once more,  fingers returning loosely to the hand loom.
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 <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc> <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc>
  
-Syne stared past Yoake, [[at the colors coiling lazily around the woman in thick bloody trails.]] She sighed and shook her head, drawing her knees up to her chest. The loom fell to one side.+Syne stared past Yoake,  
 + 
 +<fc #800000>-at the colors coiling lazily around the woman in thick bloody trail</fc>s. 
 + 
 +She sighed and shook her head, drawing her knees up to her chest. The loom fell to one side.
  
 "..I guess not. Not enough anyway. But then there's nothing else I can do is there?" Her eyes lifted and lingered on Yoake. "..I guess not. Not enough anyway. But then there's nothing else I can do is there?" Her eyes lifted and lingered on Yoake.
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 <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc> <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc>
  
-Syne nodded politely before she leaned back into the cushions again. [[The couch enveloped her protectively.]]+Syne nodded politely before she leaned back into the cushions again.  
 + 
 +<fc #800000>The couch enveloped her protectively.</fc>
  
 "It is nice to meet you too. I ask people lots of strange questions during my travels, probably more than they'd prefer. Truthfully I feel as if I don't know anything at all, like I spent my life in a dream while everyone around me has been awake and aware." "It is nice to meet you too. I ask people lots of strange questions during my travels, probably more than they'd prefer. Truthfully I feel as if I don't know anything at all, like I spent my life in a dream while everyone around me has been awake and aware."
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 <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc> <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc>
  
-"Do you think so? There's not much difference to me." The girl stretched out her arms before wrapping them around her legs. [[Long wires manifested and roped themselves around abandoned Mahjong tables, lifting and dangling them loosely in the air. Tiles clattered to the floor in loud crashes and bangs.]]+"Do you think so? There's not much difference to me." The girl stretched out her arms before wrapping them around her legs. <fc #800000>Long wires manifested and roped themselves around abandoned Mahjong tables, lifting and dangling them loosely in the air. Tiles clattered to the floor in loud crashes and bangs.</fc>
  
 Syne tensed, her eyes leaving Yoake's momentarily before she continued. Syne tensed, her eyes leaving Yoake's momentarily before she continued.
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 <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc> <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc>
  
-[[The crashing and banging sounds welled up into a roar that shook the world.]] Syne opened her eyes, cradling the side of her head with curled fingers. [[She avoided staring at them, the chunks of flesh that dangled from hooks nearby. But they were there, she knew.]]+<fc #800000>The crashing and banging sounds welled up into a roar that shook the world.</fc> 
 + 
 +Syne opened her eyes, cradling the side of her head with curled fingers.  
 + 
 +<fc #800000>She avoided staring at them, the chunks of flesh that dangled from hooks nearby. But they were there, she knew.</fc>
  
 "I'm afraid that I'll lose it. Mess up before I get the chance to understand what I should do, what'll make me happy." Her words were curt and careful but there was the slightest tremor in her voice. "I'm afraid that I'll lose it. Mess up before I get the chance to understand what I should do, what'll make me happy." Her words were curt and careful but there was the slightest tremor in her voice.
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 <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc> <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc>
  
-Syne merely listened to the other woman, staring off at the tables. [[They dangled precariously in the air unlike the hooks full of meat that were as secure as could be.]] Her eyes drifted back to Yoake- +Syne merely listened to the other woman, staring off at the tables. <fc #800000>They dangled precariously in the air unlike the hooks full of meat that were as secure as could be.</fc> Her eyes drifted back to Yoake- 
  
-[[-and then she was writhing beneath the water that was boiling her alive. Limbs urgently sought the surface, actively resisting against dutiful hands that held her down. Precious air escaped her nose and mouth when she screamed, filling her vision with steam and bubbles. An overwhelming sensation of dread filled a rapidly beating heart. She was going to die.]] +<fc #800000>-and then she was writhing beneath the water that was boiling her alive. Limbs urgently sought the surface, actively resisting against dutiful hands that held her down. Precious air escaped her nose and mouth when she screamed, filling her vision with steam and bubbles. An overwhelming sensation of dread filled a rapidly beating heart. She was going to die.</fc>
  
 Syne had not moved or said anything after Yoake had long finished answering her question. Her eyes were dull and lifeless- up until she jerked herself awake violently, gasping for breath and flailing at the air with her arms. Syne had not moved or said anything after Yoake had long finished answering her question. Her eyes were dull and lifeless- up until she jerked herself awake violently, gasping for breath and flailing at the air with her arms.
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 "No...no...no no." She repeated between ragged, pained gasps, only then seeming to recognize the Saucer again as well as the woman she'd been speaking to. She lowered her arms and gripped the edges of the couch tightly. "No...no...no no." She repeated between ragged, pained gasps, only then seeming to recognize the Saucer again as well as the woman she'd been speaking to. She lowered her arms and gripped the edges of the couch tightly.
  
-[[The world was growing darker.]]+<fc #800000>The world was growing darker.</fc>
  
 <fc #ff00ff>''[Yoake]''</fc> <fc #ff00ff>''[Yoake]''</fc>
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 <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc> <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc>
  
-[[The golden gleam from the Saucer was fading in favor of dark silhouettes that crept out of cracks and crevices. A wormy sound filled her ears, a slow endless crunching of dirt being gnawed through by ravenous mouths.]]+<fc #800000>The golden gleam from the Saucer was fading in favor of dark silhouettes that crept out of cracks and crevices. A wormy sound filled her ears, a slow endless crunching of dirt being gnawed through by ravenous mouths.</fc>
  
 Syne looked over at Yoake, the tension never leaving her shoulders. Bright yellow eyes blinked slowly as her fingers relented and released their death grip on the couch. There were deeply indented grooves where they had been clutching. Syne looked over at Yoake, the tension never leaving her shoulders. Bright yellow eyes blinked slowly as her fingers relented and released their death grip on the couch. There were deeply indented grooves where they had been clutching.
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 "I'll be fine. Usually I'm alone when things like this start up. It will settle." Her eyes fell to the floor. "I'll be fine. Usually I'm alone when things like this start up. It will settle." Her eyes fell to the floor.
  
-[[Her shadow was swallowed in pitch that boiled and bubbled. It spread along pristine tiles and flowed down stairways and over platforms. The air was thick with the scent of burning flesh. She thought she heard her own screams bouncing against the walls.]]+<fc #800000>Her shadow was swallowed in pitch that boiled and bubbled. It spread along pristine tiles and flowed down stairways and over platforms. The air was thick with the scent of burning flesh. She thought she heard her own screams bouncing against the walls.</fc>
  
-"...There's a lot of pain." She pursed her lips and fiddled with a strand of hair before moving to stand. [[The tar traveled up her legs- or perhaps she was sinking into it. It was difficult for the Elezen to tell as eyeballs floated to the surface, casting lazy unblinking stares in her direction.]]+"...There's a lot of pain." She pursed her lips and fiddled with a strand of hair before moving to stand. ||The tar traveled up her legs- or perhaps she was sinking into it. It was difficult for the Elezen to tell as eyeballs floated to the surface, casting lazy unblinking stares in her direction.||
  
 "But it will settle." She repeated, kicking at the ground with her boot.  "But it will settle." She repeated, kicking at the ground with her boot. 
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 <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc> <fc #7a1152>''[Synechiae]''</fc>
  
-"Distractions are helpful and I wouldn't mind learning another." Syne answered with a wary smile as she leaned down to pick up the loom and set it into her pocket. She began to move towards the staircase and let her hand rest on the railing [[as the walls convulsed with anticipation. Screaming. More Screaming.]] She looked back at Yoake.+"Distractions are helpful and I wouldn't mind learning another." Syne answered with a wary smile as she leaned down to pick up the loom and set it into her pocket. She began to move towards the staircase and let her hand rest on the railing <fc #800000>as the walls convulsed with anticipation. Screaming. More Screaming.</fc> She looked back at Yoake.
  
 "Farewell Yoake, perhaps we'll see each other again soon. Till then I hope you get to have many more happy moments now and in the future." The girl bowed politely before treading carefully down the stairs, white-haired head soon disappearing from view. "Farewell Yoake, perhaps we'll see each other again soon. Till then I hope you get to have many more happy moments now and in the future." The girl bowed politely before treading carefully down the stairs, white-haired head soon disappearing from view.