Video

[ampersand_me]

WHO: Knuckles, you
WHERE: Gemini
WHEN: Just after a certain someone got home from the Goodwill (so like, this weekend)
WHAT: Someone came home to everything covered in wrapping paper...
WARNINGS: None

The video opened to a nice view of a certain red alien echidna's face. Looking very, very confused.

"I understand that strange occurrences are common in this world, but what am I to do with this?"

A few seconds passed as he just sort of held the phone there while staring at it, before his eyes widened as he apparently realized something.

"Oh, you cannot see it."

And then the screen was obscured by the large white blur that was one of his gloved hands bapping it a few times, before the video finally switched to the outer camera. The image was an eye-searing blur of colors that quickly came into focus as... the interior of Knuckles' tiny cabin in the park woods, with every surface absolutely covered by brightly-colored and festive wrapping paper. Even the window appeared to be adorned with a ribbon and a bow.

"It was like this when I returned. Is this some manner of local ritual, such as I have seen at the stores in town?"

The poor kid was so very, very confused. Merry Christmas, Knuckles.

Comments

voice; un: theprofessional

[sg09r]

Oh! Uh. Yeah, so...uh, bad news, I think you may have accidentally picked up a curse at the local Goodwill.

Usually they wear off in time! If it takes more than a week, though, you might want to move.

[ampersand_me]

"A curse?"

Please do elaborate, Knuckles was less than familiar with these things.

"But where would I move to?"

Chaos forbid he ever admit it, but he liked his little cabin in the woods.

video: un: bar_cat75

[wiseoldbartender]

[There's a pause as Husk tries to figure out just what in the fuck he's looking at, before he starts laughing. ]

Holy shit, there's a Christmas one, too. Fuck me! Yeah, kid, this is a thing that... fuckin' happens here, I think it's connected to that weirdo who runs the goodwill. It happened to our house, 'cept with Halloween. There's no getting rid of it. This is your life now.

Video

[ampersand_me]

That earned a frown from Knuckles. Partly because he was being laughed at, and partly because he still didn't quite understand what was going on.

"Your house had every item individually wrapped in colorful paper?"

[wiseoldbartender]

Oh nah, not the paper for us. It's more like... fuckin' spooky ass bats and fake ghosts. Y'know, Halloween shit.

[ Which, looking at the christmas hell Knuckles is currently living in, they definitely got the better end of the deal. ]

[ampersand_me]

"You have... ghosts in your home?"

Did he even hear the rest, or did he just freeze up at the g-word?

voice, un: eve

[playtag]

Ah. Your house also has holiday decorations.

[Given it's still December his house doesn't look all that out of place, but she has a suspicion.]

Yes, those are typical for this time of year. Most people decorate their house themselves though. I'm guessing you didn't?

voice

[ampersand_me]

"I did nothing of the sort."

And even if he had decorated, did he look the type to carefully wrap each object with those big gloved fists of his??

"I returned to find it like this."

[wiseoldbartender]

What? Nah, they're fake ghosts. Plastic. Though... actually, probably we do? I dunno, my daughter can do weird shit with the paranormal.

[ What does Tank count as? Hell if he knows! But Husk definitely noticed that reaction. ]

...You okay kid? What? You're spooked by ghosts?

[ampersand_me]

"I--A warrior fears nothing!"

He's absolutely afraid of ghosts.

[wiseoldbartender]

I dunno, Kid, a warrior should fear plenty of shit, it's what keeps them alive.

[ He makes a soft, amused sound. ]

They're just dead people. Probably can't hurt you. I mean, fuck, they definitely don't exist in my past life, but from what I know about them here? They ain't shit.

[ampersand_me]

"A true warrior does not fear death, either."

Pointedly ignoring that very less than reassuring talk about ghosts because nope nope nope.

[sg09r]

[Anywhere, bud.]

Crystal Tower? Meropide? [Pause.] Uh, no, maybe not Meropide.

...do you know what a curse is, because this is going to take a while if you don't.

[ampersand_me]

But then he'd have to deal with people he didn't know all the time, shudder.

"To curse someone is to wish them ill fortune, but what people here refer to as curses seems to be some other thing?"

[wiseoldbartender]

[Oh boy, that gets a snort of amusement out of him. ]

Jesus Christ, Kid, only really crazy fuckers don't fear death. I mean, sure, it might not be the end, but it still fucking sucks, and the people who give a shit about you would sure have something to say about it.

[ampersand_me]

Knuckles just frowned at that, clearly trying to decide if he should be annoyed.

"Simply not fearing death is not the same as seeking it. However one cannot battle to one's fullest without being willing to accept that risk."

[wiseoldbartender]

[ Oh boy. Husk is just. Staring at the sky. ]

There's a difference between knowing the risks and not being scared of it too. You can accept the risks, but you gotta keep a bit of fear to the side or else you will fuckin' die and, I cannot stress this enough, upset the people who love you. Like, shit, you think they're willing to accept those risks? I promise you the answer is no.

[ampersand_me]

To his credit, Knuckles did at least more or less patiently hear out what Husk had to say. Even if he was clearly frowning the whole time.

"You call it fear, but what you speak of sounds more like caution. It would have been a dishonor to my clan had I needlessly risked my life before my quest was complete, but neither did I hesitate when such risks were truly necessary."

If there was one thing Knuckles was good at, it was rationalizing pretty much everything according to his sense of what a warrior and honor should be.

[wiseoldbartender]

[ This kid really was something else, huh? Husk sighs tiredly. Was he ever this young and reckless? Probably, actually. He knows he was definitely this hard headed... largely because he's still this hard headed. ]

...Yeah, I don't know where you think caution comes from kid, but it's root if fuckin' fear. Fear keeps you alive, it's knowing that jumping off a cliff or walking into lava or... I don't fuckin' know, punching a bear, might get your ass killed. And who's to say what makes a risk necessary? Who makes them rules? Is it someone who'd they'd risk their own lives for those same risks?

[ampersand_me]

Hard-headed would definitely be an accurate description of Knuckles. The kid could probably break boulders with his head. Literally.

"They are not rules." Did he sound a little huffy? He might be a little huffy. "It is a matter of honor. As a warrior I will do whatever is necessary to uphold my sworn oaths, just as my clan did before me. When the last of our ancient enemies was located, they risked and gave everything to see them defeated once and for all."

In other words... Yes, yes he was basing his attitude on that of people perfectly willing to take those same risks. It's possible this explained a thing or two, maybe.

[wiseoldbartender]

He sounds so very huffy. And this explains so much about him. But if nothing else, Husk is well-used to dealing with teenagers who are deep into whatever doctrine they were raised into. Decades of being a mentor in the Order taught him that. He's quiet for a moment, mulling over how to tackle this. He feels he should - this is an unhealthy mindset that might get the poor kid killed one day.

"Okay. So what happened to your claim when they gave everything?"

He'll lead into this slow. Careful.

[ampersand_me]

It didn't help that Knuckles was, well, quite young at the time the rest of his clan was wiped out, and thus relying on a child's knowledge and experience. Were the rest of the echidnas truly as extreme as he was in their attitudes? Who could say; there were none left to ask.

"They defeated and slew the last of the owl warriors, however, none returned from that battle. And so the task of seeking out and retrieving the stolen Master Emerald fell to me."

[sg09r]

That's still an applicable definition, yeah, but the kind of curse I'm talking about is the more active kind, where someone enchants some aspect of your life or your body or your house to inconvenience you in some way.

[He thinks about it a bit more, rubbing at his chin.]

So it's still wishing them ill fortune, to some degree, you're just more active about causing it.

[wiseoldbartender]

[It sure left him with only the tatters of a civilisation to build his whole world upon. That would fuck anyone up, Husk thinks. He heaves out a sigh, he... kind of guessed this. Okay. Still slow. Gentle. Ease the kid into this. ]

Right. And how did you feel about none of them returning from the battle? Not about the task you ended up with, none of that noble cause shit. How did you feel when no one came back?

[ampersand_me]

"I was angry, of course. First the owls had started the war by stealing my people's greatest treasure, then the last of them stole my people from me."

And that anger had been a driving force ever since. Oh, without doubt there had been plenty of other feelings, too, but good luck getting Knuckles to think about them, let alone talk about it. At least, anytime soon. There was a lot of rage pent up in this little guy.