“I’ve been infused with the Light of Truth… what now-?”

The world felt too realistic; too solid to just be memories, and yet everything he visited seemed too elaborate and yet not elaborate enough. He could explore towards the end of the earth, but he still felt... out of place.

Something felt wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

He was Nickel. He was Dark Cacao. He was̵͈͎͊̊ Ǫ̵̪̓̀ẑ̴̛̼ z̵̷̨͔͚̪̣͆͌͆͆̍̔͌ͅ ̵̡̯͓̲̳̙͗̑ ̴̢͎̭̗͔̾͊̏̕ȳ̸̨͎͉̠̙̹̮͊̄͑ ̷̧̡̨̩̟̹̱̝̜̐̍ ̷̢͗́͛͌̄̄͌͌̄͘͝͝͠ ̴̡̹̥̙͈̞̬̒͋̓̓̅̉͌̈́͋ ̶̨̻͍̺͈̦̪̝͇̈̄͜y̴͙͙̑͂̇̚ẏ̸̢̨͙͓̜͔̩͉̭̖̣͓̪̑͊́̂̄͆̀̐̒͝͝y̴̢͖̻̖̣̬͇͔̰͎̬̘̾̾͛̂̓̓̅̒̇̕̕͜͝

He was himself. He knew that much. But everything was so... jumbled. The world, his mind. No, wait, the world was fine, but then some things just didn't make sense...

How did he not have a headache yet?

He'd probably just keep on walking.]

[He took in the sight, hand going up into the air and then staying there, like he didn't know what to do. His eyes were wide.]

[He should've been there. He'd promised to be there, and then- he'd failed. Again. And again. He wanted to reach out, but didn't want to hurt him, so he just... stayed where he was, hand shaking slightly and eyes full of guilt.]

The world felt too realistic; too solid to just be memories, and yet everything he visited seemed too elaborate and yet not elaborate enough. He could explore towards the end of the earth, but he still felt... out of place.

Something felt wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

He was Nickel. He was Dark Cacao. He was̵͈͎͊̊ Ǫ̵̪̓̀ẑ̴̛̼ z̵̷̨͔͚̪̣͆͌͆͆̍̔͌ͅ ̵̡̯͓̲̳̙͗̑ ̴̢͎̭̗͔̾͊̏̕ȳ̸̨͎͉̠̙̹̮͊̄͑ ̷̧̡̨̩̟̹̱̝̜̐̍ ̷̢͗́͛͌̄̄͌͌̄͘͝͝͠ ̴̡̹̥̙͈̞̬̒͋̓̓̅̉͌̈́͋ ̶̨̻͍̺͈̦̪̝͇̈̄͜y̴͙͙̑͂̇̚ẏ̸̢̨͙͓̜͔̩͉̭̖̣͓̪̑͊́̂̄͆̀̐̒͝͝y̴̢͖̻̖̣̬͇͔̰͎̬̘̾̾͛̂̓̓̅̒̇̕̕͜͝

He was himself. He knew that much. But everything was so... jumbled. The world, his mind. No, wait, the world was fine, but then some things just didn't make sense...

How did he not have a headache yet?

He'd probably just keep on walking.]

[He took in the sight, hand going up into the air and then staying there, like he didn't know what to do. His eyes were wide.]

[He should've been there. He'd promised to be there, and then- he'd failed. Again. And again. He wanted to reach out, but didn't want to hurt him, so he just... stayed where he was, hand shaking slightly and eyes full of guilt.]

The world felt too realistic; too solid to just be memories, and yet everything he visited seemed too elaborate and yet not elaborate enough. He could explore towards the end of the earth, but he still felt... out of place.

Something felt wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

He was Nickel. He was Dark Cacao. He was̵͈͎͊̊ Ǫ̵̪̓̀ẑ̴̛̼ z̵̷̨͔͚̪̣͆͌͆͆̍̔͌ͅ ̵̡̯͓̲̳̙͗̑ ̴̢͎̭̗͔̾͊̏̕ȳ̸̨͎͉̠̙̹̮͊̄͑ ̷̧̡̨̩̟̹̱̝̜̐̍ ̷̢͗́͛͌̄̄͌͌̄͘͝͝͠ ̴̡̹̥̙͈̞̬̒͋̓̓̅̉͌̈́͋ ̶̨̻͍̺͈̦̪̝͇̈̄͜y̴͙͙̑͂̇̚ẏ̸̢̨͙͓̜͔̩͉̭̖̣͓̪̑͊́̂̄͆̀̐̒͝͝y̴̢͖̻̖̣̬͇͔̰͎̬̘̾̾͛̂̓̓̅̒̇̕̕͜͝

He was himself. He knew that much. But everything was so... jumbled. The world, his mind. No, wait, the world was fine, but then some things just didn't make sense...

How did he not have a headache yet?

He'd probably just keep on walking.]

[He took in the sight, hand going up into the air and then staying there, like he didn't know what to do. His eyes were wide.]

[He should've been there. He'd promised to be there, and then- he'd failed. Again. And again. He wanted to reach out, but didn't want to hurt him, so he just... stayed where he was, hand shaking slightly and eyes full of guilt.]

The world felt too realistic; too solid to just be memories, and yet everything he visited seemed too elaborate and yet not elaborate enough. He could explore towards the end of the earth, but he still felt... out of place.

Something felt wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

He was Nickel. He was Dark Cacao. He was̵͈͎͊̊ Ǫ̵̪̓̀ẑ̴̛̼ z̵̷̨͔͚̪̣͆͌͆͆̍̔͌ͅ ̵̡̯͓̲̳̙͗̑ ̴̢͎̭̗͔̾͊̏̕ȳ̸̨͎͉̠̙̹̮͊̄͑ ̷̧̡̨̩̟̹̱̝̜̐̍ ̷̢͗́͛͌̄̄͌͌̄͘͝͝͠ ̴̡̹̥̙͈̞̬̒͋̓̓̅̉͌̈́͋ ̶̨̻͍̺͈̦̪̝͇̈̄͜y̴͙͙̑͂̇̚ẏ̸̢̨͙͓̜͔̩͉̭̖̣͓̪̑͊́̂̄͆̀̐̒͝͝y̴̢͖̻̖̣̬͇͔̰͎̬̘̾̾͛̂̓̓̅̒̇̕̕͜͝

He was himself. He knew that much. But everything was so... jumbled. The world, his mind. No, wait, the world was fine, but then some things just didn't make sense...

How did he not have a headache yet?

He'd probably just keep on walking.]

[He took in the sight, hand going up into the air and then staying there, like he didn't know what to do. His eyes were wide.]

[He should've been there. He'd promised to be there, and then- he'd failed. Again. And again. He wanted to reach out, but didn't want to hurt him, so he just... stayed where he was, hand shaking slightly and eyes full of guilt.]

The world felt too realistic; too solid to just be memories, and yet everything he visited seemed too elaborate and yet not elaborate enough. He could explore towards the end of the earth, but he still felt... out of place.

Something felt wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

He was Nickel. He was Dark Cacao. He was̵͈͎͊̊ Ǫ̵̪̓̀ẑ̴̛̼ z̵̷̨͔͚̪̣͆͌͆͆̍̔͌ͅ ̵̡̯͓̲̳̙͗̑ ̴̢͎̭̗͔̾͊̏̕ȳ̸̨͎͉̠̙̹̮͊̄͑ ̷̧̡̨̩̟̹̱̝̜̐̍ ̷̢͗́͛͌̄̄͌͌̄͘͝͝͠ ̴̡̹̥̙͈̞̬̒͋̓̓̅̉͌̈́͋ ̶̨̻͍̺͈̦̪̝͇̈̄͜y̴͙͙̑͂̇̚ẏ̸̢̨͙͓̜͔̩͉̭̖̣͓̪̑͊́̂̄͆̀̐̒͝͝y̴̢͖̻̖̣̬͇͔̰͎̬̘̾̾͛̂̓̓̅̒̇̕̕͜͝

He was himself. He knew that much. But everything was so... jumbled. The world, his mind. No, wait, the world was fine, but then some things just didn't make sense...

How did he not have a headache yet?

He'd probably just keep on walking.]

[He took in the sight, hand going up into the air and then staying there, like he didn't know what to do. His eyes were wide.]

[He should've been there. He'd promised to be there, and then- he'd failed. Again. And again. He wanted to reach out, but didn't want to hurt him, so he just... stayed where he was, hand shaking slightly and eyes full of guilt.]

The world felt too realistic; too solid to just be memories, and yet everything he visited seemed too elaborate and yet not elaborate enough. He could explore towards the end of the earth, but he still felt... out of place.

Something felt wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

He was Nickel. He was Dark Cacao. He was̵͈͎͊̊ Ǫ̵̪̓̀ẑ̴̛̼ z̵̷̨͔͚̪̣͆͌͆͆̍̔͌ͅ ̵̡̯͓̲̳̙͗̑ ̴̢͎̭̗͔̾͊̏̕ȳ̸̨͎͉̠̙̹̮͊̄͑ ̷̧̡̨̩̟̹̱̝̜̐̍ ̷̢͗́͛͌̄̄͌͌̄͘͝͝͠ ̴̡̹̥̙͈̞̬̒͋̓̓̅̉͌̈́͋ ̶̨̻͍̺͈̦̪̝͇̈̄͜y̴͙͙̑͂̇̚ẏ̸̢̨͙͓̜͔̩͉̭̖̣͓̪̑͊́̂̄͆̀̐̒͝͝y̴̢͖̻̖̣̬͇͔̰͎̬̘̾̾͛̂̓̓̅̒̇̕̕͜͝

He was himself. He knew that much. But everything was so... jumbled. The world, his mind. No, wait, the world was fine, but then some things just didn't make sense...

How did he not have a headache yet?

He'd probably just keep on walking.]

[He took in the sight, hand going up into the air and then staying there, like he didn't know what to do. His eyes were wide.]

[He should've been there. He'd promised to be there, and then- he'd failed. Again. And again. He wanted to reach out, but didn't want to hurt him, so he just... stayed where he was, hand shaking slightly and eyes full of guilt.]

The world felt too realistic; too solid to just be memories, and yet everything he visited seemed too elaborate and yet not elaborate enough. He could explore towards the end of the earth, but he still felt... out of place.

Something felt wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

He was Nickel. He was Dark Cacao. He was̵͈͎͊̊ Ǫ̵̪̓̀ẑ̴̛̼ z̵̷̨͔͚̪̣͆͌͆͆̍̔͌ͅ ̵̡̯͓̲̳̙͗̑ ̴̢͎̭̗͔̾͊̏̕ȳ̸̨͎͉̠̙̹̮͊̄͑ ̷̧̡̨̩̟̹̱̝̜̐̍ ̷̢͗́͛͌̄̄͌͌̄͘͝͝͠ ̴̡̹̥̙͈̞̬̒͋̓̓̅̉͌̈́͋ ̶̨̻͍̺͈̦̪̝͇̈̄͜y̴͙͙̑͂̇̚ẏ̸̢̨͙͓̜͔̩͉̭̖̣͓̪̑͊́̂̄͆̀̐̒͝͝y̴̢͖̻̖̣̬͇͔̰͎̬̘̾̾͛̂̓̓̅̒̇̕̕͜͝

He was himself. He knew that much. But everything was so... jumbled. The world, his mind. No, wait, the world was fine, but then some things just didn't make sense...

How did he not have a headache yet?

He'd probably just keep on walking.]

[He took in the sight, hand going up into the air and then staying there, like he didn't know what to do. His eyes were wide.]

[He should've been there. He'd promised to be there, and then- he'd failed. Again. And again. He wanted to reach out, but didn't want to hurt him, so he just... stayed where he was, hand shaking slightly and eyes full of guilt.]

The world felt too realistic; too solid to just be memories, and yet everything he visited seemed too elaborate and yet not elaborate enough. He could explore towards the end of the earth, but he still felt... out of place.

Something felt wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

He was Nickel. He was Dark Cacao. He was̵͈͎͊̊ Ǫ̵̪̓̀ẑ̴̛̼ z̵̷̨͔͚̪̣͆͌͆͆̍̔͌ͅ ̵̡̯͓̲̳̙͗̑ ̴̢͎̭̗͔̾͊̏̕ȳ̸̨͎͉̠̙̹̮͊̄͑ ̷̧̡̨̩̟̹̱̝̜̐̍ ̷̢͗́͛͌̄̄͌͌̄͘͝͝͠ ̴̡̹̥̙͈̞̬̒͋̓̓̅̉͌̈́͋ ̶̨̻͍̺͈̦̪̝͇̈̄͜y̴͙͙̑͂̇̚ẏ̸̢̨͙͓̜͔̩͉̭̖̣͓̪̑͊́̂̄͆̀̐̒͝͝y̴̢͖̻̖̣̬͇͔̰͎̬̘̾̾͛̂̓̓̅̒̇̕̕͜͝

He was himself. He knew that much. But everything was so... jumbled. The world, his mind. No, wait, the world was fine, but then some things just didn't make sense...

How did he not have a headache yet?

He'd probably just keep on walking.]

[He took in the sight, hand going up into the air and then staying there, like he didn't know what to do. His eyes were wide.]

The world felt too realistic; too solid to just be memories, and yet everything he visited seemed too elaborate and yet not elaborate enough. He could explore towards the end of the earth, but he still felt... out of place.

Something felt wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

He was Nickel. He was Dark Cacao. He was̵͈͎͊̊ Ǫ̵̪̓̀ẑ̴̛̼ z̵̷̨͔͚̪̣͆͌͆͆̍̔͌ͅ ̵̡̯͓̲̳̙͗̑ ̴̢͎̭̗͔̾͊̏̕ȳ̸̨͎͉̠̙̹̮͊̄͑ ̷̧̡̨̩̟̹̱̝̜̐̍ ̷̢͗́͛͌̄̄͌͌̄͘͝͝͠ ̴̡̹̥̙͈̞̬̒͋̓̓̅̉͌̈́͋ ̶̨̻͍̺͈̦̪̝͇̈̄͜y̴͙͙̑͂̇̚ẏ̸̢̨͙͓̜͔̩͉̭̖̣͓̪̑͊́̂̄͆̀̐̒͝͝y̴̢͖̻̖̣̬͇͔̰͎̬̘̾̾͛̂̓̓̅̒̇̕̕͜͝

He was himself. He knew that much. But everything was so... jumbled. The world, his mind. No, wait, the world was fine, but then some things just didn't make sense...

How did he not have a headache yet?

He'd probably just keep on walking.]

-@itz-bow-xd

For a brief moment, her mind freezes as well. The garden's gates closed and she was left outside.

...

She enters it once more, fumbling for the key to unlock the gates of her brain. She rips one of the questions from the mess of vines to ask out loud.*

...

You're fine.

It's okay.

He won't hurt you.

And with that thought of self-reassurance, Bow's mind felt a bit sunnier.

Actually, much sunnier. Her mind was like a desert.

Still dry, and frankly, a bit intimidating to her, but hey, it's much less cluttered and the sun's nice!

She regains her composure, a soft grin painting her face*

..Sure. Whatever, I'll leave, shit..

I'm sorry my thoughts are.. too loud or- or whatever?? But you've been trying to avoid contact as much as possible lately, and that isn't good for you at all!!

I'm trying so hard to pull you out of the ditch you've been digging for yourself by trying to talk to you regularly, but you're making it so fucking hard!! Being alone won't help you, Trophy!

*He wiped a little ‘blood’ from his mouth, another result from the pain.*

I know your powers are, like... overwhelming sometimes, and I get that it's good to be alone sometimes but not all the time.

*She let out a bitter laugh, clutching the right side of her face in resentment, fingers covering her scarred face.*

But I don't even see you talk to other people, so I'm just trying to give you some sort of interaction so you won't go insane!!

“e-even if Nickel..”

....

..Okay, good point.

*She taps her foot against the ground, brainstorming.*

Oh!!

What about the beasts? We've seen Shadow Milk before, right? I know this kinda goes against, like, everything the ancients were trying to do, but, like, what if we could get the beasts to.. take... our soul jams...?

...

The world felt too realistic; too solid to just be memories, and yet everything he visited seemed too elaborate and yet not elaborate enough. He could explore towards the end of the earth, but he still felt... out of place.

Something felt wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

He was Nickel. He was Dark Cacao. He was̵͈͎͊̊ Ǫ̵̪̓̀ẑ̴̛̼ z̵̷̨͔͚̪̣͆͌͆͆̍̔͌ͅ ̵̡̯͓̲̳̙͗̑ ̴̢͎̭̗͔̾͊̏̕ȳ̸̨͎͉̠̙̹̮͊̄͑ ̷̧̡̨̩̟̹̱̝̜̐̍ ̷̢͗́͛͌̄̄͌͌̄͘͝͝͠ ̴̡̹̥̙͈̞̬̒͋̓̓̅̉͌̈́͋ ̶̨̻͍̺͈̦̪̝͇̈̄͜y̴͙͙̑͂̇̚ẏ̸̢̨͙͓̜͔̩͉̭̖̣͓̪̑͊́̂̄͆̀̐̒͝͝y̴̢͖̻̖̣̬͇͔̰͎̬̘̾̾͛̂̓̓̅̒̇̕̕͜͝

He was himself. He knew that much. But everything was so... jumbled. The world, his mind. No, wait, the world was fine, but then some things just didn't make sense...

How did he not have a headache yet?

He'd probably just keep on walking.]

-@itz-bow-xd

For a brief moment, her mind freezes as well. The garden's gates closed and she was left outside.

...

She enters it once more, fumbling for the key to unlock the gates of her brain. She rips one of the questions from the mess of vines to ask out loud.*

...

You're fine.

It's okay.

He won't hurt you.

And with that thought of self-reassurance, Bow's mind felt a bit sunnier.

Actually, much sunnier. Her mind was like a desert.

Still dry, and frankly, a bit intimidating to her, but hey, it's much less cluttered and the sun's nice!

She regains her composure, a soft grin painting her face*

..Sure. Whatever, I'll leave, shit..

I'm sorry my thoughts are.. too loud or- or whatever?? But you've been trying to avoid contact as much as possible lately, and that isn't good for you at all!!

I'm trying so hard to pull you out of the ditch you've been digging for yourself by trying to talk to you regularly, but you're making it so fucking hard!! Being alone won't help you, Trophy!

*He wiped a little ‘blood’ from his mouth, another result from the pain.*

I know your powers are, like... overwhelming sometimes, and I get that it's good to be alone sometimes but not all the time.

*She let out a bitter laugh, clutching the right side of her face in resentment, fingers covering her scarred face.*

But I don't even see you talk to other people, so I'm just trying to give you some sort of interaction so you won't go insane!!

“e-even if Nickel..”

....

..Okay, good point.

*She taps her foot against the ground, brainstorming.*

Oh!!

What about the beasts? We've seen Shadow Milk before, right? I know this kinda goes against, like, everything the ancients were trying to do, but, like, what if we could get the beasts to.. take... our soul jams...?

...