470. Pragmatic flesh, 2

(Rose)

In the end, everyone played along Blume’s whim. It kept everyone living around the same place for a little while, like a family. It felt warm, and a little nostalgic.

The oddest presence remained the black bird lady and her so called Snake.

Blume is human enough to blend easily in with her appearance, behaviour and personality. Nightmare is still a god child, learning and trying to evolve humanly and humanely. I think.

As for Snake, though that beast remains asleep, it still defies biology as I know it. That’s the second biggest snake I’ve ever encountered.

For a few days, it felt like a home for me, and us.

All together under a roof and its landscape. Seeing the sun set behind the fallen shape of the big snake in slumber.

Nightmare learning at her own pace.

Myls becoming her cooler self again.

Zeslinry acting motherly, and Blume teasingly.

Me feeling a little lost in the midst of this surreal situation, but happy.

We all have unsettling bad dreams at night, because she’s still affecting our minds more or less unconsciously. But they fade quickly as we wake up and are not preventing us from sleeping.

Later we will all decide where we will all go next, and likely split up.

But for now Blume’s game gives us all a reason to stick together for a little longer.

We still discuss the future from time to time.

My initial aims remain. Visiting the land of the sky, and the ruins of the city of the sun.

However I have a feeling Blume may want to leave my side to stick with Nightmare for a little while.

B - I haven’t really considered that option. I’ll give it a good thought.

Nightmare is still looking for herself first. She might decide anything. I fear she could chose to annoy Myls a while longer and more.

Myls and Zes will go on their own way for a new place to call their home.

I’m feeling a little hollow.

~

Came the day of unveiling the contesting options for Zeslinry’s new leg and my new arm.

I didn’t expect anything else but a gross joke from one or both of the daiûas. I wasn’t disappointed.

Nightmare offered a nightmarish foot of a monster that looked like it was alive on its own, as it twitched around and even had teeth. It had no toes, only uneven and absurd shape.

She said Zes would even be able to use it to feed herself, through that mouth under the sole. I couldn’t tell if Nightmare was serious or joking.

Blume’s option was a similar monstrous thing, but on a more vegetal looking theme than the fleshy one seen before.

That leg and good looked like a plant parasite that would never let go either.

Zeslinry was sweating a little as she smiled politely.

Myls’s option was far more refined, in a human way.

It was articulated metallic pieces that looked like they were made by a good craftswoman but didn’t keep the full shape of a normal leg, only the essential.

It looked like what a real modern prosthesis should be; not looking like a real leg, but supporting its intended functions very well.

Mine was more rudimentary craft. A sculpted and frilled wooden leg, with far simpler mechanical possibilities and overall design. Something less handy than every other, but maybe nicer to look at.

Zeslinry had quickly dismissed the monstrous options, and eventually chose mine. She liked having a full leg to touch through her trousers.

Myls took it well.

~

For my arm, I expected a similar freak show.

Blume oddly had only a yellow plum to offer me. She claimed that it was what we’re already doing, regrowing it slowly. That was a surprisingly lazy contest entry, but I was already inclined to claim her option as the better one.

Myls had crafted a semi articulated hand that could hold something. There was good pragmatism in her choices and good artisanship, I was impressed.

Zeslinry had made a hook with a blade. So that’s how she sees me uh?

As for Nightmare, it was less gross. More respectful maybe?

It was still a grotesque sculpture of flesh, but with unmistaken dark feathers growing onto it, and nicely defined fingers over the hand. I lost a little my amused smile as I noticed the smaller black feathers with bluish shine on that arm and hand.

I now think this game had another aim. Blume made it for Nightmare to interact with us.

It was another play from a daiûa, and using us. Only one from Blume toward Nightmare.

I looked at her.

She probably heard my thoughts. She smiled without replying.

Nightmare must have heard my thoughts as well, because she twitched weirdly.

They’re growing...

I felt bittersweet.

I felt my heart pinch as I raised my hand to the winner. I chose Nightmare. Blume looked surprise.

She’s likely to joke about my betrayal soon enough I’m sure.

My human friends were puzzled as well.

And Nightmare was boiling inside her mind, learning.

I attached the fleshy open mouth of that arm to my stump, without much hesitation.

If Blume wants to stray away with her, I won’t stop them.

I felt some needles of pain as the arm connected itself to my nerves, my bone, and merged all the vessels and tissues.

My right arm still has some grey parts over the skin. Patches of a previous life. My left one will be red like meat and black where feathers grow, for a while.

I kind of like the idea of carrying a piece of her along with me. Just as I have Blume near my heart.

~

I chatted longer into the night with Nightmare. She is like a younger Blume. One that is not infatuated with me, and still shares an unexpected sensibility.

N - Do you want her to go with me?

R - I don’t think so... But, we all evolve over time.

N - No one but her will be able to reanimate you when you next die.

R - That’s not why we travel together.

Though it helped, more than once. I admit...

Blume joins us unexpectedly.

B - I didn’t expect to shake you that much with my decisions.

R - Well... I’ve been shaken yes. But, you’re more free as well than you were, when you were stuck to me; and that’s really nice. I just... Don’t know what to do.

B - You think Night and I are able to grow a lot with each other. I like your kindness in that desire to let me go if that’s good for me.

R - I feel like I’m at a crossroad and I don’t know where to go.

B - And are afraid to commit.

Not nice. But true.

A quiet minute passes.

N - You’re pissing me off.

Nightmare grabs my head without warning and instils fear into my mind as she rummages through it.

I call Blume for help in panic, but she stays there, arms across her chest.

I scream to the others for help, but Blume is barring them the way. I’m crying in horror.

My world goes dark in terror, Nightmare still digging for something inside my mind.

I fall inside her domain.

~

I see Licht.

I look as a child. She looks decided. I have a new surge of my inferiority complex against the spark that her existence was.

I see Ogre. Well, I don’t see her, but I feel her hatred perspiring. She’s looking down on me.

My wings of light and darkness. My wings.

I return to consciousness in a spark, a fierce spark.

I keep collapsing under my own weight in times of peace...

I stand up and push her back, frowning, showing my teeth. I’m angry.

They don’t say a thing at first. My fists are clenched.

Blume reappears to me.

B - Rose, what do you really want for tomorrow?

It finally comes out.

R - I want all of us to stay together...

Blume nods with a smile. Zeslinry smiles. Myls begins to smile as well, brightly, like when she was younger.

Nightmare’s body language signifies she doesn’t mind.

Z - We can travel together for a while Rose.

It’s too warm for me.

I’m crying.

~