to the pleroma (text)

[passio]

[ it’s not an intentional attempt at anonymity. dextera just has no experience with this kind of broad communication, and to him, there’s little point in introducing himself anyway. those who have met him may be able to recognize the emotional “signature” attached to the words newly displayed in their minds, and may be able even to attach the soft sound of his breath or the perpetually-uncertain expression he wears to the message he knows is about to be contentious.

but, it’s been bothering him since the events in venera. perhaps the seed was planted even before that, from his very first experience with the kenoma and having the pleroma overtake it to save him in the end. ]

Are we wrong?

[ it’s… actually not what he wanted to open with, but the panic of broadcasting a message so publicly has him blurting things out even through what should be the most temperate of mediums. ]

The Regent said it was the Pleroma that caused the disease in Venera. That force wanted us to live forever in delusion. I don’t want to destroy the world. I don’t want to make a new one either. I was happy there. I would have been happy there.

The distilled Kenoma tried to manipulate our thoughts. Didn’t you all feel that power when we escaped? The Hope that allowed us to fight? Are we still being manipulated?

Comments

[salvageable]

[ Holy shit.......

Dokja looks paler than usual as he watches Dextera bite into that bright green banana, and his stomach does an unpleasant twist. Is it from sympathy? Disgust?? He's seen a lot of fucked up things in his life but this...

This is up there. ]

I should've brought you a green apple instead.

[ WHAT WAS DOKJA THINKING ]

[passio]

[ honestly, he wants to spit it out. it doesn’t taste good, and maybe if he was alone, he would do it. but his good friend dokja brought him this food, and if nothing else, the shocking taste has managed to pull him right out of his funk.

he chews with the slow misery of a prisoner. ]

…

[ a little shudder runs up his spine once he swallows, and at least mercifully to the both of them, he doesn’t go in for a second bite. ]

[salvageable]

[ This was deserved. This was the only possible outcome and Dextera full sent it much to Dokja's horror.

Thank goodness there's no second bite. In fact, he reaches over to snatch that partially eaten banana from Dextera's hand before abruptly standing back up. ]

I'm taking these with me.

[ And throwing them AWAY. ]

[passio]

[ dokja is probably acting in his best interest, but… man.

dextera nods nonetheless, and doesn’t fight when dokja confiscates the banana from him. at this stage, it hardly even smells like a banana—it’s got the fresh, green scent of a plant with none of the sweetness. ]

Ngh… blech…

[salvageable]

[ And let this be a lesson to you, young man. ]

The next time you get in your head about something, you let me know, okay?

[ There's too much depression in this city... Someone needs to fold and catch a break. And while Dokja's glad to see Dextera in better spirits, he knows better than most how fleeting those moments are. ]

And now I know better than to bring you unripe fruit.

[ He huffs out a breath, but the glint in his eye makes it clear he's (mostly) joking.

With both halves of the banana in hand, he starts for the door. ]

[passio]

[ dextera feels better emotionally, even if his stomach is going to be a little mad at him for a while longer yet. ]

…

[ before dokja gets out the door, there’s a small breath from dextera. it doesn’t sound like a sigh, but—perhaps, a laugh? ]

[salvageable]

[ Whatever it is, it gets Dokja to pause at the door and turn back. It takes him a second to place that sound, and then he blinks a couple of times in surprise.

A laugh...?

It's doubt that springs forward first, but after another second's pause, he''s positive that that's what it had been. ]

What's so funny?

[passio]

[ dextera is still trying to get the taste of unripe banana out of his mouth, and there are also fibers from the skin that force him to dig between his teeth with his tongue. he luckily doesn’t need his mouth to respond to dokja’s inquiry anyway.

he quickly shakes his head, hiding any remnant of a smile with his hand. ]

[salvageable]

[ WEIRDO... (affectionate)

Dokja can't help the small smile that appears in turn, though he does his best to keep it small. Whatever that laugh had been for, it can stay a mystery so as long as Dextera continues looking like this. ]

Take care.

[ And then he's off! He's got unripe bananas to toss. ]