victory_road | Event: The Reveal Glass

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Event: The Reveal Glass

Across the Pokémon world, characters may have spotted a falling star last night. Or at least, one would think that's what it was: a naturally occurring phenomenon, rather than a legendary artifact. Specifically, the Reveal Glass fell to earth during a fight among a group of legendaries started by the return of a long-lost family member. But it's probably best to leave them to handle all that themselves, while your characters deal with other consequences.

The Reveal Glass shattered upon impact, and the shards scattered throughout Kanto, Johto, and the Sevii Islands… And made their way into the hearts of your characters. But bleeding isn't the concern here. Instead, the impact will hit when a character first looks into any reflective service. An eerie feeling hits them as they're transported to the Mirror Dimension.

While this realm can be many different things for different characters, one thing is always true: It is a place of honesty, where true selves are revealed. Those struck by a shard will find themselves facing truths they are no longer able to hide, and now must accept. Fortunately enough, even those who haven't been struck will be able to enter the Mirror Dimension during this event via a reflective surface to offer help. By the end of the 29th, things will return to normal. Characters will be back in the usual Pokémon world and their hearts will be rid of the shards, but time is strange in the Mirror Dimension, and the experience may feel like it goes on far longer than a day. Or, maybe that's just the emotional exhaustion.

The Reveal Glass plot is here. You can swing by the event info post for additional details and FAQ, and play out your characters’ enforced therapy on this post. As with most VR events, this plot is entirely optional and your characters don't need to take part at all.

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[Astarion felt the rumble and the shake from that punch, with all of the pain and shrillness of emotion that came with it. The stain of tears on Astarion’s dirty face, growing bright with the light of the punch aligning with the clatter and destruction of the chains.

They crumbled under the strength.

All Astarion could do was look Shiro’s way. His shocked expression with the deafening sound of his own silence.]

[Wow, he wasn't actually expecting that to work. Then again, if Heather had been able to punch him out of his nightmare years ago, maybe he shouldn't have been.]

[He stands there, too, equally surprised, but resolute. Right hand still held in a sledgehammer fist. Behind the surprise... there's something else. A warring regret, and determination. Almost a glow in mirror to that from his hand. The same light that went coursing through his old friend - his Lion, far from here.]

[At length, Shiro pulls himself back together. His shoulders pinch in. Trying to look less like a hulking Paladin who whacked a chain apart with one hand.]

... I'm sorry.

[He says it again, for good measure, for assurance, because he can't think of what else to say in all this. He's not sorry he broke the chain, he's not sorry he caused that chain reaction in the room. He is sorry for intruding. For barging into something personal and painful.]

I'll - I'll try to get out of here. We don't have to talk about this. It's your call.

[Astarion pulled up the shoddy blanket as he sat up, free movement of his hands again. His voice was stuck in his throat, and he struggled to get words out. For a few minutes.

With sheer strength of will, Shiro broke him free. Abilities or no, that anger and power came from within him. Hidden yet raw, and painful. Shiro’s pain set Astarion free, and he hated that. He felt his heart sing painful songs that he didn’t want Shiro’s pain to be his freedom. Yet his selfishness and self preservation led it there.

To protect Shiro. Or protect himself. Astarion was such a fool. A fool changed by the circumstances made by a tadpole in his brain and a kind Druid that was also stupid enough to trust him.

He couldn’t stand Shiro sitting here and apologizing for his own anger. He couldn’t take it.]

Shut up, you damn fool.

[His teeth clenched, and more tears fell down his face.]

You’re so stupid. Really stupid!

[His voice cracked with his sobs.]

Stop apologizing all of the damn time! I can’t take it! I can’t take your sad, kind face trying so hard to be so righteous in how you treat me!

You’re hurting too! Be angry at me, dammit! I made you do this!

[There's a lot that could be said back, in that moment. A lot he could counter with. Explain himself, elaborate, or something like that. Just say something. Anything. He should snap back something short about protecting a friend, or that he wanted to help - that doing nothing was worse than trying and failing.]

[But this is Shiro. And he does what Shiro does best in the face of criticism, warranted or otherwise.]

[He shuts down.]

[His expression falls, the worry and concern still there, but it withdraws, somehow. As if pulled inward away from something that may very well be true. He has no answer to any of this. A mistake, apparently. He'd made another, and he'll lie in it. At least he'd let Astarion free. There's that, if nothing else.]

You didn't do anything wrong here. [Is all he manages. No retort to being called foolish. Nothing. He turns his head away, though, because, hey, if his face is the problem, that will clearly solve it.] This world does it. It's not the first time.

So you didn't make me do anything.

[But he'll go, if this room will let him. That's obviously the best choice.]

[…Don’t leave me.

Shiro just shut down, turned himself into a cocoon and locked himself away like Astarion did. Like he knew he did. Familiarly.

He saw him turn and his heart shattered into something else.

Astarion yelled at him but Shiro leaving and closing the door inside, he felt…bad. Astarion felt bad. His insides twisted into something he knew he felt before. Once he became free and in control, Astarion had to learn a cruel lesson. Guilt. Humility. Regardless of him being a slave, he hurt so many people. Even then free, he was so hedonistic that for a moment he didn’t care about who he trumped if it meant having things all for himself.

He was so terrified. Terrified of his own feelings and of Shiro’s. He could feel his throat close as he tried to reach with his free hands. Astarion grabbed something, anything. Just so he wouldn’t budge for even a moment. Shiro’s hand, the one he used to smash the chains, happened to be the closest.]

[The hand on his makes him jump. People don't reach for that. People don't touch that. He holds it back, he shakes hands, greets, everything he can with his left hand, instead - the real one. The human one. The one people want to see.]

[He doesn't pull it away, though. It startles him, but he keeps it where it is. And stops moving away.]

I - I still don't know how to get out of here.

[That seems like the safest admission right now. The safest statement to make. He doesn't want to cross any more lines. Doesn't want to make Astarion share any more than he has. If he wants to talk, then Shiro will absolutely listen. That's different, that's a choice.]

[And he already knows how important that is to the other.]

I...

[He wasn't afraid of that hand. Astarion was also a monster, in the eyes of many. Except, Shiro was no monster. No man like him would ever be one to Astarion. There aren't many like Shiro, not at all. Not even his complicated feelings right now could tell him otherwise.

Even if he felt his skin run cold, he never took his eyes away from Shiro's.

But he doesn't know how to say it. He doesn't know how to take it from his stomach and out of his mouth.]

...Then...stay...

Are you sure?

[Given the last few minutes - was it just minutes? Hours? It's so hard to tell here. Does time even pass at all? - he doesn't want to force anything at all. He wants to check in. Verify.]

[He doesn't pull away, though. He doesn't move, just searching the other's face. The want to help is embedded so deeply, it's hard to figure out a next step.]

Maybe we can both get out. You shouldn't have to stay here. [Anymore, goes unsaid. Left to be put together.]

[Astarion didn't know why...he just felt broken. His stomach was in knots admitting he just wanted Shiro. For some reason, Astarion just wanted to see him after all of the moments wasted trying to get him to leave.

The fool all along was Astarion. It's only been him.

Maybe this was a dream, or a nightmare. Astarion's mind was now muddled with emotion and, most of all, fear. He was so afraid. So afraid of himself and everything else around him. His head leaned on Shiro's shoulder, still not saying a word.]

[The weight on his shoulder is both a welcome pressure, and a reminder. All of this is a reminder. In reality, he doesn't doubt Astarion could hold his own - the pokemon world. But here? Here smacks so hard of another time. Of standing strong for someone else who couldn't hold their own...]

[Back to old habits then.]

It's okay. We'll figure something out. Just stay with me. All right?

[Maybe if they find a doorway, not only will it get them out of the room, but out of the dream. Or vision. Or whatever it is.]

Alright.

[He still felt like a failure. Like the wretched spawn that had no choice but have help to get him free.

But, again, he liked the feeling on this touch. So much that he couldn't find himself moving. He was nearly trembling at the idea, of liking this closeness. He still didn't understand what this meant.]

[The lack of much response worries him. Enough to where he stops trying to move. And ... instead?]

Do you want to hold onto me while we look? I don't mind.

[But he figures asking before acting would be best. Especially in this situation. He absolutely does not mind if Astarion needs to hold his hand, or his arm. Like an anchor.]

[Astarion wasn't a right mind. His will to keep fighting seemed to end and he was already too vulnerable. He fought Shiro so much that it went around to fear of losing him. He was the best thing he ever had outside of this world. Astarion gained, then lost, gained, and so on.

He just wanted to hold on to something. For once, could he have something he didn't LOSE?]

...Truly, you don't?

I don't.

[Another almost immediate response. There's only a pause, because Shiro is examining a wall, trying to figure out if there's a way through.]

[He holds his hand out. It's the left hand. The real one. The one he has any feeling left in. That makes sense, if someone needs physical contact, or a physical anchor. Use something that can actually feel.]

Not at all.

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Event: The Reveal Glass

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