SPECIAL EVENT: The Flower Oracle

[polymods]

✖ Meet The Oracle

A low thrumming sound builds in the background noise of the raised village, starting so softly that it would be easy to mistake it for the ever present hummingbirds. It keeps building slowly, somehow managing to be both a sound and to bypass the ear as it hums in the bones. The local Temple Guardians bump heads and brush against each other, quietly affirming their bond as they divide their duties: one staying with the local Temple and the other winding through the paths of the village down to the bud of the Flower Oracle in its place of honor in the city center.

The villagers stop what they’re doing, not quite in a panic, but their speed is deliberate and definite. They gather things on their way, flower wreaths, fish, beautiful food, sharp knives, until everyone has something in their arms. There is an ecstatic tension in the air, after all, the time has come when these people will yet again see substantial proof of their god, and it seems they have forgotten all about the Travelers who might have joined them. There is plenty of room for everyone to gather in a circle around the green bud that has grown even larger.

The thrum rises until it is hard to breathe, until some of the structures around begin to groan in the onslaught, and then it stops, suddenly. In the vacuum of silence, there is a wet and meaty sound as the bud begins to open, a first hint of things that look like red lips and white teeth. A canny Traveler might be forgiven for running at that point. The visceral sound of the splitting, of this birthing, continues as the bud splits, then splits again as the four sepals fall open, exposing an inner surface that glistens red and is lined at the edges with white sharp growths that may be fangs. The villagers ignore the implicit threat. They have eyes only for the structure in the middle.

Who can blame them? Translucent petals form a breathing tower, curled tight and perfect as a seashell. A glow pulses like a heartbeat as the petals slowly unfurl, collapsing elegantly to reveal the Oracle and provide protection against the threat of the sepals. The Flower Oracle is beautiful, glowing, soft and round. She is initially surrounded by four guards, each masculine and clearly dangerous, but they move aside to leave a clear path. The villagers line up with their sacrifices, and there is ritual patience in the act. Everyone will have their time with the Oracle, and anyone must be allowed their time alone within the petals.

Notes:
Characters who wish to approach the oracle need to respond to the thread titled ‘Meet the Oracle’. After they get their response, they can post a separate reaction thread to play out some of the consequences of the event.

Responses to the Oracle Thread should include: a short description of their IC reaction/actions, a description of what they bring for a sacrifice, and their question for the ancient. Villagers will have let them know that traditional options include: fish, flowers, art, blood, secrets, or memories. Characters/players may come up with their own sacrifices. Please include a note if the character helped decorate the local temple this month.

WARNING: Contacting the Oracle may result in negative IC results for characters, and there is a degree of randomness in how the mods assign results.

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Comments

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[dothelokimotion]

[ loki sighs in relief. for a moment, he had become unbearably frightened, as if thor was falling down a dark hole and loki had no way of reaching him. he sags briefly against thor's hands. ]

Does it matter who says it? I'm here. We're here.

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

But not forever. [Thor can feel the gravel in his throat, the rock that forms as he tries to swallow. The heat of repressed tears floods him with nausea.

Thor and Loki: brothers, side-by-side, until the end of their days. That's how it was supposed to be. He cannot imagine a world, a life without his brother.

He grabs Loki and tugs him into a fierce, desperate hug, as though Thor feared he would disappear if he should let him go.]

When I leave here, I will do everything, everything in my power to change this. Perhaps we go somewhere else in the universe to escape whomever attacked us. Or perhaps I can destroy them before they ambush us. Whatever it is, Brother, I will fix it. I have to fix it.

[dothelokimotion]

[ what is loki supposed to say? you can't fix everything. loki in particularly is not a fixable thing. many have tried, all have failed. but loki had managed to do what's right for thor. to ensure thor's continued existence. because there is no point to a universe without thor. he would have let everything burn for it.

and yet, he just wants to believe that thor can fix it. that if anyone can, it'd be thor. his older brother who chased away loki's monsters and fought loki's nightmares. he presses his forehead against thor's shoulder with a quiet sob. ]

You'd come with me?

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

Loki, I would go with you anywhere. Everywhere. [Thor closes his eyes, wills his heart to slow, to relax. It seems and feels an impossible task given all he's just learned, but slowly, it seamlessly falls in time with his brother's.

He steadies himself and scolds that he must be strong. He must be the shining example of a resolute, tenacious older brother who can bear the weight of the world and all of its sorrows on his shoulders without faltering. He is Thor, God of Thunder and Lightning. He cannot fail.

He cannot be less than.

He must not be less than.

He exhales a small laugh.]

There's no one else who knows what it was like to be raised by our parents.

[dothelokimotion]

[ the brief chuckle that comes to loki is unbidden but not unwelcome. his shoulders shake slightly.]

Or understand what it's like to have a hag for a sister.

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

I much prefer your horns to her ... spikes. Whatever they were. Antlers? [Thor allows himself the strength to let Loki go from his embrace, though there is the flare of anxiety that he will dissipate into smoke in his hands. But as he pulls away to look his brother in the eyes, he remains solid in Thor's hands, and he can feel the tiniest part of him relax.

Still here.

The static charge of the lightning on the horizon begins to fade, the accompanying thunder slowing into a grumble.]

.. Thank you .. for protecting me. I know it cannot have been easy to harbor such a secret. You needn't do so anymore, not for me.

[He is already beginning to formulate his plan of attack for when he leaves. He will need to ask Loki for more information about who it was that attacked, if there was anything that could be exploited for them to come out the other side unscathed and alive. But that is for a later time. For now, he will simply rejoice in the presence of his brother.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki will need to tell thor the whole truth, sooner or later. he knows that. he's gone through too much not to realize the jaws will close upon him if he doesn't. that thor will remember it all. and he may change his mind.

but right now, loki is so relieved that he blinks moisture from his eyes, no longer alone in his grief and pain that he nearly sways from it. ]

I'm . . . I'm sorry, Thor. I tried.

I tried.

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

Please, Brother. Don't apologize. [Thor shakes his head, brows furrowing. He gives Loki's shoulders an assuring squeeze.] I'm glad you told me. Together, the two of us, we can devise a plan that will keep you from harm. You're the most clever being I know. We will think of something, Loki. I promise.

[dothelokimotion]

[ a promise. an oath. loki swallows before giving a faint nod. he still feels relieved, but he wonders if it'll stay that way. but at least thor was here. perhaps they can find a solution. they always have. ]

I think you give me far too much credit.

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

No. [Thor gives a very firm shake of his head, eyes intent on Loki's face. He gently raised a hand to place it on the side of Loki's face. The gesture is affectionate and brotherly, an older sibling imparting earned wisdom on the younger.] I give you the credit you never seem to give yourself.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki flinches, panic setting in as he remembers thanos' vice grip around his throat, squeezing him out — for a moment, he is insensate, unable to comprehend anything before pulling himself out of it. ]

I really don't think I deserve much credit.

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

[Thor had seen the panic, the flinch, the dark place to which Loki went. He shakes the hand against his brother's cheek a little bit, to try to bring him back.

Please, stay with me, Brother. I cannot bear to lose you.]

I know you don't. [His voice is tense, tentative.] That's the problem.

[dothelokimotion]

[ he blinks, perplexed. the shadow has slipped from his gaze at the very least, even if he trembles a little. ]

I don't understand.

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

[Thor huffs out a quiet sigh.]

You are the first to talk badly of yourself. You insist you don't deserve credit. Brother, I have been trying to sing your praises since we were small.

I can't undo your history or what you've felt as we grew. But I will always speak highly of you until you do it yourself because you also believe it to be true.

[dothelokimotion]

I . . . I can't. I shouldn't.

[ he doesn't want to. he's afraid. he's made steps to be better, even if loki paid for it with his life. to think of himself as anything else, anything more seems dangerous. like a slippery slope.

he shakes his head firmly. ]

No. At least . . . wait. Until you know everything. Please.

[ as much as loki yearns for thor's regard, wants to bask in it, he knows how quickly it'll sour on his tongue. ]

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

[Thor studies his brother's face, searching for any clue as to what it is he's talking about. What more could there be? Knowing his brother meets his demise is punishment enough, he thinks. How much more could there be?

He gestures for Loki to continue.]

All right. Go on.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki takes in a shuddering breath. ]

Long ago, you asked who controlled the would-be king. It was a Titan, a creature named Thanos. For my failure, he promised me pain. Death.

[ he had to do this. it'll end poorly. thor will hate him but he had to. ]

From Asgard, I took the Tessaract. I thought it could be . . . an escape. In case I needed it. But he came and I gave it up for your life.

And he took mine instead.

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

[Thor's entire demeanor changes, and as a cloud comes to cover the sun, so it does to his eyes. They go dark and grey, the rumbling of thunder beginning to roar again in the distance.

The adoration in his gaze evaporates and is instead replaced with anger. Frustration. Disbelief. A flurry of emotions run through him all at once, and in the confusion and haze, there is the snapping of lightning striking a nearby tree.]

You took the Tesseract? Loki .. [Why is he surprised?, he thinks. The allure of it was always too much for his brother to ignore, and it was only a matter of time before it was in his hands again. But to have taken it?] I assume you took it before our home was destroyed.

Did you not learn your lesson the first time?

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki immediately takes a couple of steps back, his eyes darting for a potential escape. thor's last words are ringing in his head and it chases away all rational thought. this is the end, he thinks, panic rising in his throat, it's over.

a part of him wants to defend himself. but loki knows it is indefensible. so he keeps his head upright. for as long as he can. ]

I said all I can say.

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

[Thor's mind scrambles to try to untangle the slew of information he'd just had thrown at him, abruptly stepping away a few paces to allow him the space to do so. A hand comes up to rub at his bearded face, an ache appearing in his neck, heavy with the weight of all that had happened in the past few years. How much loss could there be?

Loki's taking the Tesseract was more than likely what brought this Thanos being to them in the first place, ultimately causing him to lose his life. It's enough to make Thor want to rip trees apart by their trunks, slicing them down the middle with a choice bolt of lightning.

But something in his softens.

Loki gave up his life for you, he's quick to remind himself. No, he shouldn't have taken the Tesseract, but he saved your life and lost his own. He gave up the one thing he'd consistently loved more than anything in order to save you.

Thor turns to face Loki again, eyes still clouded but kinder than before.]

You ought to know that I don't know if your stealing the Tesseract from Odin's vault will ever be forgiven, Brother. And I have no memory of it, but if this is the pain that awaits me, then it would be foolish of me to waste this time we have together, knowing the end is far sooner than I thought. [The idea of it latches onto his throat like a vice grip.]

What does he do with it? This Titan, Thanos? What does he do with the Tesseract?

[dothelokimotion]

[ the storm prickles at the edge of his consciousness. having said as much as he could, giving up so much truth with very little idea of how this will play out, loki felt his mind clamping shut. what little colour he had on his face had slipped away and all loki wanted to do was retreat. no more truth, no more thor, no more anything. he wanted to nurse his wounds. he knew he wouldn't be forgiven for it, but he can't shake off the fear.

he steps back further. ]

No more.

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

[Thor can see the wounded animal in Loki, and he's learned not to poke and prod when he's in such a state.

Though his expression is more affectionate than it had been moments ago, there is still a resigned coolness to it, and he lets his gaze linger on the other man's face for a few moments before gesturing for Loki to leave, should he want to.]

No more, then.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki turns his gaze away, wrapping his arms around himself and walking away. it's done. he did it.

the right thing.

it just feels hollow now. ]