un: absterge

[downswing]

( 'lo, from the depths of the Mouse House, post-Unwinding: )

If... this were no dream. The child of the rains, bearing a vulpine mask. 'Hyang-Won' and his pale protector.

He is remembered? He did not appear as the other manifestations.

Though we have retrieves ourselves, we cannot abandon a child to nightmares.


( Guilt is strong among exorcists. )

Comments

[downswing]

A child wants rescue.


( ...does he, though. )

[somebadnews]

[ ...his brother who, it occurs to him, went missing just before this happened. Son of a bitch, if this has anything to do with that. ]

I don't think that's what he wanted.

[downswing]

Entrapped in a world of blood, isolation and rain.

What else could he wish?

[somebadnews]

It seemed like he was waiting for the one who hurt him. He wanted an umbrella.

[downswing]

Protection.

[somebadnews]

[ Switching gears... it's really your fault he's connecting these dots, Wangji. As much as he's like to keep yelling at him, he suddenly has a vested interest. ]

That's one interpretation.

He didn't remember who hurt him, but he got pretty close. If you find a way back, you shouldn't go alone.

[downswing]

I should not.

[somebadnews]

[ aka he should bring someone willing to take down a child. Assuming he can die. ]

Fine then, but I don't think it's going to go the way you expect it to.

I guess exorcism is out of the picture?

[downswing]

He appeared... shaped. Unlike the others. Though we did not see his face, the mask.

[somebadnews]

A fox. He was giving us all the clues we needed.

[downswing]

Children enjoy animals.

[somebadnews]

On second thought, maybe you should let someone else go for you.

[downswing]

To what end?

[somebadnews]

To see what needs to be done. You're too easily swayed.

[downswing]

I, easily swayed.

[weifinder]

As we all did, Lao Five.

[somebadnews]

[ He doesn't count on him to see the obvious symbolism here. ]

You don't think there was anything more to it?

[weifinder]

Unless the depth of meaning was to extend to each of us that our sanity was only preserved when protected from the rains, or that an umbrella can defeat molten rock as I witnessed within the gambling pit, then no.

[somebadnews]

Let's just say I have another theory.

Do you think the child is alive?

[weifinder]

Of everything I encountered in that time, the child and the white traveler were the only two who felt alive.

By the nature of what we know of the Beastmaster, they share a name, a connection, but not the same fate. The Beastmaster was twice dead. That child was not.

[somebadnews]

[ Not the same fate yet. Where that goes is still open for debate. ]

So you agree that he's his son?

[weifinder]

I agree that this child lives. I agree that the traveler in white lives, at least as he was encountered.

I agree that the Beastmaster we knew and the child we saw are connected, but not the same.

[somebadnews]

[ Why is he putting it this way... almost like he already guessed what Five's theory is. ]

Do you think he knows what happened to him?

[weifinder]

No. I think what he recalls is a hurt from some other living being, at a time far before us. I don't think he's connected in memory to the man who died and arose cursed with deathlessness.

[somebadnews]

[ Not sure he buys that, but go ahead. ]

That’s an unfortunate coincidence. Some families get all the luck.

You picked up on all that from him asking for an umbrella?