Day Thirteen
xxxxxAs you rise to your feet,
two chicoons approach you with a blanket and warm drink- you can see they've already gotten around a bit, and plenty of chicoons are enjoying something to warm them up. Your eyes pan to the cuddle pile, which grows larger every minute. Jester sneaks up behind Cedar and sprays whipped cream on the large God's head. Cedar laughs, and the shaking of his stomach startles a few chicoons awake. But overall, the clearing is quiet. Many are sitting in stunned silence, and the conversations that are happening are muffled by the falling snow.
xxxxxYou thank the kind chicoons for your offer, but instead you head towards Bell and Sweaty, who are helping a chicoon to its feet. There are already some other there questioning all of the Gods, but especially Bell.
xxxxx"So where did the pit go? Is it ceasing to exist now?"
Everett asks. Bell meets their eyes and does not reply. The chicoon they are helping up seems to try and say something, but no words come out. Sweaty pats the chicoon on the shoulder. Even without answers, Everett continues with their questioning.
xxxxx"Are some of these Chicoons the ones that have disappeared? How do we know that everyone is out? If some Chicoons did not escape, then where are they now — lost forever?" they ask.
xxxxx"That one I can answer," Sweaty responds. "Every chicoon we lost to the Pit was able to escape. Nobody is left in the Pit."
xxxxx"Um, excuse me. What exactly just happened here?"
Nyquil asks. "Where is the Pit? And what exactly was the Pit?"
xxxxx"
The Pit is sealed," Bell responds. "What exactly the Pit was is something we're still unsure of. Even with all the knowledge I have attained throughout my life, I had never seen anything like it. But it is now my job to learn and study the Pit, and in due time, I can answer your questions."
xxxxxSweaty turns away from Bell and those questioning him, leading the unknown chicoon towards Mariana. A few chicoons surround the cold chicken, comforting it and speaking in soft words.
Pupper, the chicoon who brought Mariana to the Pit, nuzzles the bird and tries pups best to cheer it up. As Pupper and
Meteion, who spending stars daytime in the clearing, see Sweaty approach, they bring Mariana to him.
xxxxxJackson tries to stop the exchanging of the chicken, feeling strongly that the Pit would want her to take care of Mariana. But as he reaches out, Mariana looks back at him and pulls something out from under its wing. It is a
drawing of them that they recognize, but there is something on the back. A large splotch of black... ink? With two words written next to it. "Happy Pit."
Mariana pulls a pen out from under its wing and tries to scribble something on the back of the paper, trying its best with its tiny chicken feet, but it just comes out looking like, well, chicken scratch. Mariana hands the paper to Jackson anyway, and Sweaty smiles.
xxxxx"I promise Mariana will be okay," Sweaty tells him, placing the chicken on the back of the chicoon next to him. He turns to said chicoon and asks, "Isn't that right?"
xxxxxThe chicoon nods its head, and the two turn away and head towards Cedar's cuddle pile. The chicoons who were woken by Cedar's laughter are just beginning to doze back off when they are startled awake again, this time by a screaming chicoon.
xxxxx"Hey, Big Head!"
Goob shouts. "Aren't you suppose to be the god of safety, what makes the pit's safety any less then every one else's? The pit is my friend and it's own being, It was nothing but kind to me and so many others."
xxxxxSweaty walks past the upset bee, behind Cedar's back, where he meets up with Bell. Bell had escaped from the barrage of questions by chicoons, but somehow a small among'sus had tagged along with him. The among'sus, as soon as it saw the chicoon Sweaty was leading, broke away from Bell's legs and climbed on its back alongside Mariana. Sweaty chuckled, pet the among'sus's head, then turned to the God of Wisdom.
xxxxx"Are you ready?" he asks. Bell nods in return.
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xxxxxCedar lets out a deafening call, waking all of the still-sleeping chicoons and drawing everyone's attention to him. He remains laying down to comfort the chicoons resting in his fur, but straightens his back as two chicoons climb up onto him.
xxxxx"Everyone," Bell calls out. "The Gods thank you for your assisstance last night. Everyone's work was imperative to our goal- even those of you who did not join hands. Your energy, the Chi you store in your flame, helped to seal the Pit permanently.
xxxxx"I was chosen to conduct the sealing ceremony for my extensive knowlege, but even I must admit that I do not know all things. I had never met anything like the Pit before, and I doubt I will again. The Pit was everything I care for- it was deeply intelligent and always longed to learn more. Many of you shared your wisdom with the Pit, and for that I thank you. It yearned for companionship that it was not able to gain, but found a way to do so. By learning new languages and ways of communication, especially through his bond with Sweaty, he was able to become a friend with you all.
xxxxx"I am the God of Wisdom, Companionship, and New Languages. I knew something had to be done about the Pit, but did not want to lose such a valuable individual by banishing it. So we, the Gods, researched a way to seal the Pit into a different form. I did not want to get your hopes up, so I kept our final goal a secret with you. The Pit agreed to this, even knowing the harm that could come to it. It cared so much for you all that it was willing to risk its life to be sealed into a new form."
xxxxxBell steps aside, and Sweaty leads the chicoon with Mariana and an among'sus on its back forward.
xxxxx"That new form stands before you now. It is no longer
The Pit, he is simply Pit, the God of Nothingness."
xxxxxPit opens his mouth to try and address everyone, but no words come out. Sweaty supports him with his body, and the chicoon seems unused to existing in this body. Pit looks to Sweaty and bows his head, touching foreheads with Sweaty for a moment. Sweaty pulls out a sheet of paper and hands it to Pit, putting his hand over Pit's to help him write a message.
xxxxxBell takes the paper from them and duplicates it with his magic. Jester starts to hand these notes out to all in the crowd.
xxxxx"Dear friends,
xxxxxMy name is Pit. I am overjoyed to stand before you all in my new form as a fellow chicoon. Do not be scared! I can still return to my Pit form, but nothing lives in me anymore.
xxxxxThe one thing I wanted most in life was friends. I saw chicoons like you all socializing, playing, dancing... I wanted to speak to you, attend parties, maybe even fall in love... But it just wasn't something I could do. So I foolishly tried to make friends in a different way, but inviting them inside me. I did not know that once inside me, my friends could not leave. I did not want this.
xxxxxI am sorry for the hurt and confusion I caused you all. For the stress and anger. I understand that you may not forgive me, and know that I do not hold it against you. Even though I did not mean to, I hurt many of you, and that must be acknowledged.
xxxxxI never screamed in pain. I screamed because I wanted you all to hear me- to find me, and speak to me, and become my friend. Even on that night, I was screaming to draw you all to me. I reached out to you. And you were there.
xxxxxThank you, my friends."
xxxxxAs you are just finishing reading Pit's note, you hear a sobbing chicoon cry out.
Wumbie rushes up to Cedar's side, looking up desperately at Pit.
xxxxx"Pit, is it really you?" she cries out, scrambling to climb onto Cedar's paw. "But- but, the note you left! It said "please help"! How... I can't believe you're not hurt!"
xxxxxPit looks confused for a second, excited to see Wumbie, but worried about this note. He doesn't seem to know what Wumbie is talking about, until Mariana digs under its wing and pulls out the other half of a shredded note that reads:
xxxxx"-with the ritual. Trust in the Gods. I believe in you."
xxxxxPit sighs, then gets really excited when he realized that he has made a noise. He honks happily, then realizes that he can honk! Excitedly, he breaks from Sweaty's side and tries to climb down Cedar's arm to Wumbie, only to stumble and fall on his face right in front of her. Wumbie grabs him up, ensnaring him in a deep hug, and Pit slowly raises his arms to return it.
xxxxxOnce Wumbie lets him go, Pit looks out to everyone, now on the same level as them. His mouth opens, then closes again, and then opens. With a raspy, almost silent voice, you can hear him say,
xxxxx"Thank you all."
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PromptYou are now free to interact with any chicoon in the area, including Pit. Do you have anything to say to him? Any questions?
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by ege » Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:41 am 
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