Epics of Noche 5, Reflection

EON CH 15 - ACT 64, JACKALOPE

HELLO AGAIN.

1777, APRIL 06th, WEDNESDAY9:30 pm.

Noche's sole eye lingered on the figure before her. It had been ages since she'd seen the creature. A long vertebra that ended in a skull floating in the air; it snaked its way towards her. The Jackalope.

"ThE LiTtLe – human monkey is nice and proper lost, it seems," he said.

"Did you just call me a monkey?" Noche asked slightly offended.

"Is ThErE mUcH – difference between you and a monkey?"

"Uhh, yes."

"AnD yEt ThE dIfFeReNcE – between humans and monkeys are so very little in the grand scheme of things. In fact, I struggle to tell male and female members of your species apart."

"I'm a woman if that helps."

"I dOn'T tHiNk It MaTtErS – the differences between male and female is almost non-existent."

"I mean, I guess? Humans are all similar to an extent. Two arms, two legs, two eyes... Huh, I guess I only meet one of those criteria now. Bad example. You get what I'm saying."

"I dIdN't MeAn – the physical differences."

"Ahh. Yeah, if you boil us down to our main components, we all have many things in common. The urge to survive, not wanting to be alone, desiring happiness."

"HoW sImIlAr YoU aLl ArE – despite your preconceived notions. How unwaveringly similar you all are at our cores," Jackalope let out a little laugh.

"We're all human before genders," Noche shrugged. "Anyways, is this going somewhere or are you just here to philosophize?"

"ImPaTiEnT – aren't you? Well, that's to be expected. People never really grow up, they just learn how to hide it... At least some do."

The blonde frowned. "Did you just call me a child?"

"ThE jOuRnEy, ThE aDvEnTuRe – living in the moment. However you address it, life is about experiencing the now."

"Well now I'm ready to learn how to use Limbo. So let's not waste time contemplating."

"ArE yOu – unpleasantness allows life to be more interesting by giving us something to rebel against."

"I have enough to rebel against already. Thank you very much."

"SoRrOw, PaIn, AnGuIsH – all the dark emotions you feel, all the negativity you encounter in life, they are all distractions meant to make your time feel longer. To make death seem further away."

Noche closed her eye and took in a deep breath. "So what? Racism, sexism, bad hair days are all just ways to pass time?"

"AnYtHiNg ThAt OcCuPiEs – your full attention is a way to pass time. Those moments of passion, both negative and positive, is what makes life, life."

"Look, how will this help me master Limbo?"

"If YoU dId NoT hAvE – to worry about fighting, about surviving, then what would be your purpose? What meaning would you have? What would make your days interesting if you did not have struggle?" Jackalope said. "Cherries kindness, Shaylin's happiness, Mary's frustration, Jack's love, and your anger... What would your life be like without such emotions? How cold and empty the world feels when you live in apathy."

Noche didn't say anything. She thought on his words and tried to figure out where this conversation was heading.

"HoW cAn OnE bE hUmAn – without emotion? To live in apathy is to make your world a little less. Humans are creatures of emotion. It's critical to what makes them, them," Jackalope said. "The world is bigger with a little bit of color in it. Everything we love, everything we hate. All our likes and dislikes. The world is bigger because of their inclusion. To lose any of it is to make the world a smaller place."

The blonde sighed. "So if life is passion, then death is apathy."

Jackalope nodded.

"Why – dear fucking god, why do I need to know this?

"YoU aSkEd If ThIs – will this help you master Limbo."

"Yeaaaah."

"LiMbO iS yOuR mEnTaL wOrLd – it is a reflection of you."

"So what? Shallow philosophy is like a warmup exercise before I stretch my mental muscles?"

"Do YoU eNjOy – hurting people?"

The question took Noche aback. She opened her mouth soundlessly and blinked.

"N-No! Of course not!"

"YeT yOu – keep doing it."

"Not on purpose!"

"AnD tHeRe Is ThE pRoBlEm – you're not doing it on purpose."

"So what? I'm supposed to have hurt the people I care about willingly."

"YoU'rE sUpPoSeD – to have enough self-control to not hurt them to begin with. Not unless you absolutely have to."

Noche looked away at that.

"UnDeRsTaNdInG – that's the point of my questions. You need to understand yourself. Understand your answers to my questions. Understand your truths."

She didn't respond. Instead, she focused on his words.

"YoU mUsT tEmPeR yOuRsElF – before you temper the world. If corruption is about affecting the world outside you, Limbo is about affecting the world within. The last time you visited Limbo, was it a world that made sense? Or was it a chaotic mess?"

Noche's silence lasted on, but it was more than confirmation.

"YoUa Re HeRe – to clear your mind. Hesitation, doubt, irresponsibility. These are the things poisoning your consciousness right now. Together they've sent your inner world into turmoil... To unlock Limbo, you need to calm the chaos."

"And once I unlock it, I'll have it forever. I know. Galloway gave me a speech earlier," Noche said. "I basically need to be willing to do whatever it takes with unwavering conviction."

"YoU'lL nEeD tO cOnQuEr – yourself if you wish to have any hope of defeating Creeps. The more you understand yourself, the more control you'll have over your Limbo."

"So every little bit helps. Get rid of my hesitation, doubt, and irresponsibility. Also the more I understand myself the better. If all goes smoothly, then Limbo will be a tranquil lil afterlife place."

Jackalope nodded. "ThErE aRe ThReE tRiAlS – one for each of things poisoning you."

"Let's get started then."

Noche followed Jackalope out of the tree stump. As she did so, she took out the mirror she had stashed in her jacket pocket. It had managed to stay on her person despite her frantic running earlier.

The blonde stared at her reflection, at her torn-up face, and thought about the kind of person she had been up to this point. Who she would become after completing these trials. Would it be someone she could live with? It would have to be. This was all for her revenge after all.