Flesh-Stick looks up to see a second visitor entering the Naturalist’s house! Wow, if he’d known this many people were going to come see him out here, he’d have tidied the place up a bit. Not that there IS much to tidy up. The Naturalist didn’t leave much behind when he left
“HI D.A.!” Fleshy says to the newcomer. “I CAME OUT HERE TO REMEMBER AND I DID. SO NOW I’M TALKING TO LORD VAUSTUS. WANNA JOIN US?”
“Sure. How is the remembering going?” Dirae Erinyes’ unease has mostly been chased away by Flesh-stick.
Flesh-Stick: IT’S GOOD! FINDING THIS PLACE WAS THE LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE! NOW I REMEMBER ALL THE BAD THINGS AGAIN!
he laughs, knowing how ridiculous that sounds when said in such a cheery voice, but he can’t help it. The sadness that comes from remembering all these things will probably return, but for now, he doesn’t care. For now, he’s happier than he’s been in a long time. Eli loves him
“It’s better the feeling sad but not knowing why. I’m glad that you sound better then the last time we talked.”
Fleshy laughs YEAH, THAT JUST MADE ME REALLY REALLY FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY. AND THEN I DID STUPID THINGS." he pauses and giggles again "WELL, STUPIDER THINGS, ANYWAY."
He turns to Lord Vaustus "SPEAKING OF WHICH, YOU LOOK KINDA FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY YOURSELF. IS EVERYTHING OKAY?"
edited by Kukapetal on 8/7/2016
Vaustus has been sitting astonished throughout Fleshys explanation.
“Hah! You remember your bad stuff? And you call that a victory?”
Vaustus laughs, bitterly.
“You know, I thought you knew what pain was. I thought you were like me. Turns out your as loved as the rest of these bastards.” Vaustus spits.
“I thought you would understand.”
“And you aren’t loved? I find that doubtful.”
Flesh-Stick: WELL, I’VE BEEN IN ABSOLUTE MISERY THESE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, SO JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING NICE FINALLY HAPPENED TO ME DOESN’T MEAN I DON’T UNDERSTAND IF YOU’RE FEELING SAD. DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT IT?"
Vaustus hadn’t actually noticed Dirae. He looks up, hate in his eyes.
"Tell me, have you ever wanted to kill yourself? Have you ever been truly alone? Can you even begin to comprehend what ive been through? Hell, have you even felt a true emotion? Loss? Pain? Hate? You are the most pathetic example of a pathetic species I have ever had to meet."
Vaustus’ eyes burn with hate. He pulls a knife from his jacket.
"Leave me, before I slit your throat and violate the corpse." Vaustus pauses, his hate cooling.
"You truly believe that someone has to love me? Hah." Vaustus collapses against the wall.
edited by Lord Vaustus on 8/7/2016
edited by Lord Vaustus on 8/7/2016
Flesh-Stick gently takes the knife out of Lord Vaustus’s hand and slides it out of reach, then puts his arms around him
“it’s okay. You’re not all alone. We’re here.”
“The answers to your question on feelings is yes. Though, I doubt you could kill me and I suspect I’m a species of one. I have lost my Morning Glory, my daughter. I hate those that take them away from me. As for being truly alone. . . You have no idea.” Dirae Erinyes gives a butter laugh. “The fact that we are talking here is proof. So tell your tale to us. I’m sure it will be old ground to us.”
Vaustus grins like a skeleton.
“You want my story? Fine. I don’t care anymore.”
Vaustus takes a deep breath, and chugs from a hip flask. He begins.
“I once loved. Now, this may not sound like much to you, but for me, this was huge, ans new. I had been without a soul for almost five years when I met the one I loved, and the longing I felt for them was what made me find it again. My default state, you see, was apathy. I felt nothing before I met my beloved. They showed me what it was to feel, and it was glorious.”
Vaustus pauses to drink again, shaking a little.
“Of course, like any good love story, my beloved barely acknowledged my existence. Fine. I could deal with that. I stayed by their side nonetheless, always there. And then I lost them. Not to death, or even to another lover, but to something much worse. I lost my beloved to the Name.”
Vaustus laughs, almost hysterically.
“Think if it! I was trounced by a concept! The one person who I could connect to, lost to self destruction! Now I’m sure this all sounds overly dramatic to you, but you must understand: they were the only thing that gave my life meaning. I was going to kill myself. I planned to jump into the zee, end it. And then I heard, oh wonderous news: my beloved had turned back. They had gone NORTH, and returned. I was overjoyed. I rushed to them, ecstatic. I found not the one who I loved there. I found a broken wreck. Imagine: the one I lived for didn’t remember my name! The search had utterly broken them. I fled. I drank. I drank Oblivion, hoping to forget hem as they forgot me. I began to search for the name myself at one point,nconvicned that would return them to me. But it didn’t. And now, instead of apathy, my default became dispare. I drank myself to the boatman five times. My will to live is basically non existent.”
“I once lost the only people I truly loved before I came down here. I was convinced that I could find nobody like them. I was wrong. You could go back to your beloved, help them regain what little could be gained. Or you could soldier on, looking for that glimmer of life. But there is someone out there. Tryst me, you aren’t as hard to love as you think you are.”
“I am a murderer. I have killed, permanently, more people then you have had breakfast. I am devoid of most basic human instincts. I loath myself, because it is the only same thing to do when confronted with myself. Of course, some frivolous creatures may move what I present myself as, but they always run when they see what I truly am.”
“I have also killed. I don’t know instincts I’m devoid of but I know i’s a few. I loathed myself for many years. Those traits are not uncommon to find down here. What did you love about your beloved?”
Flesh-Stick: I’m not gonna run away. I’ve killed lots of people too…and the really horrific thing is that I don’t even know how many…just cause there were too many to keep track of. I sold people…entire families…to an evil corporation to use for test subjects in experiments. I’m a horrible person, and no amount of good stuff I do down here will ever change that. I loathe myself too. And as for instincts…I think most of mine are bass-ackwards, topsy-turvy, upside down and inside out.
We ARE alike, Lord Vaustus. And I DO understand.
And I also think you should return to your beloved. Cause you DIDN’T lose them to the Name. They came back. Seeking messed them up, but they’re still themselves. You know how I know? BECAUSE they came back. There was still enough of the person you love inside them to realize what they were doing was wrong and turn back.
And now they need you. Maybe t help them remember. Maybe to show them that somebody still loves them even if they’re damaged. Maybe just to give them a friend when they thought they’d lost them all.
It’ll probably be hard, but and here he pauses, looking slightly melancholy sometimes doing what you think is best for a friend is hard. But if you ARE a friend, you’ll do it anyway.
he hugs Lord Vaustus again
Also, maybe you should stop drinking the Bottled Oblivion too. It doesn’t look like it’s helping you any more than it was helping me.
“Heh.” Vaustus smiles sadly.
“I’m sorry. I’ve had more of this depressing crap on my mind recently then normal. I’m sorry for making you deal with it. You are right, I do still have my beloved. I have to focus on that.”
Vaustus breaths deeply.
“Thank you.”
He stands up and leaves.
“Well, this has certainly been a productive evening. Though, I can’t help if something has gone wrong in the Neath when we become relationship counselors.”
Flesh-Stick looks after Lord Vaustus with worry
I hope he’s gonna be okay…
a moment later, he shakes himself and clears his throat
ANYWAY, THANKS FOR COMING AFTER ME. IT’S FUNNY…I USED TO THINK I DIDN’T HAVE ANY FRIENDS, BUT NOW I FIND OUT I’VE GOT A BUNCH! IT’S KINDA…NO, IT’S REALLY NICE.
"Sorry, if I was a bit sharp with him. I don’t mind some self-pity but not to claim that nobody has experienced your pain.
Perhaps he will return to the Salon. If he does, we might be able to help his beloved. Healing from such a state of wretchedness takes time and work. He has a long road ahead of him.
Anyway, I’m glad I could help make you feel less alone. I’m sure the rest of the Salon misses you as well."