Play-date with a void child and a grimmchild

[fireindreams]

Who: Troupe Master Grimm, the Knight, the Grimmchild and you.
What: Grimm requested the Grimmchild from the Storyteller and his request was granted. Now it is time for a play-date.
When: August 25th
Where: Across Enso
Warnings: Spoilers for the Grimm Troupe DLC.
Note: Both the Knight and Grimm are available to be spoken to so please let us know in your header if you would like a response from Grimm, the Knight or both of them.

[Grimm had many reasons for requesting the Grimmchild charm from the Storyteller. Despite the dangers present in this world, it was one full of life. The living prospered here and the sky was beautiful and blue. There were many curiosities here, things to learn and indulge without shame. Grimm's memories will offer the child so many experiences of eons and reincarnations gone by to be implemented as they saw fit, but there would be things here that even their predecessor has not experienced.

So many reasons but the most pressing one was the simplest: Grimm wanted to see his child again.

He had informed the Knight that their child now lived in this world once the Troupe Master had woken to the Charm containing the tiny scarlet flame in his possession. The Grimmchild had been set back to the form they first had when birthed but that was no matter for the moment. He wished to show the Grimmchild the island and the Knight had been happy enough to join them.

For those who wandered Enso at their leisure, they may stumble across the Knight playing with a strange creature that is making sounds not unlike a kitten. The Grimmchild is sentient and quite willing to approach those nearby if not approached first.

Grimm is supervising closely however, so trouble-makers may wish to be careful. But he looks more relaxed then he was when the flowers were choking the life out of everyone. It is doing his heart good, after all, to see both the Knight and the Grimmchild having fun together.]

Comments

[lightlessfuture]

[ They're in the middle of chasing the Grimmchild when Legion's so surprised they take a fall. Remembering that whole MASSIVE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR CHEST and their complaints about water getting into important components, they immediately abandon their current game and scramble to peer into the pool with clear worry.

Legion are you going to be okay. DID THEY ACCIDENTALLY CAUSE MORE DAMAGE FOR YOU ]

[forwearemany]

(They sit there for a moment, staring, before taking the offered hand.

Fortunately, they don't seem to have accrued any noticeable damage.

...Unfortunately, they still haven't gotten out of the habit of shaking themselves like a wet dog, which they do moments after stepping out of the Mana pool.

Then they just stare.)

[fireindreams]

[Oh dear. Grimm did not expect such a habit and is too close to get out of the way without getting drenched.

...he needs a moment before speaking.]

...did we startle you?

[Yes, it appears the water has startled Grimm quite a bit.]

[lightlessfuture]

[ Oops. The Knight looks between the two of them, now both equally soaked, and wonders if they should get something to dry them off with.

The Grimmchild is blissfully unaffected by all this and is currently making a mixture of amused and concerned noises at their father's predicament, abandoning the Knight for the moment to hover around him.

They sign at Legion, hastily. ]

ok?

[forwearemany]

Yes.

(To both, obviously.

They headtilt at Grim and the hovering Grimmchild, chattering.)

[fireindreams]

[Grimm unconsciously raises a hand to bat at one of his horns and the water there before thinking better of it and dropping his hand.

If Legion is the observant sort they'll notice there are quite a few physical similarities between Grimm and the Grimmchild.]

My apologizes then. We did not intend on startling you so badly you'd take a fall.

[lightlessfuture]

what-is-surprising?

[ They don't understand, this is a totally normal thing to happen. Grimm has a child, the Knight is playing with it, surely Legion's seen children before??

The Knight does seem genuinely puzzled about what could be the source of the shock, here. ]

[forwearemany]

Acknowledged. The apology is unnecessary. Your arrival was unexpected.

(They were anticipating a quiet time for recharge, that was all. Not that their arrival is particularly unwelcome...

They turn to Grim. Look at him. Look at the child. Look back at Grimm. Their headflaps lift.)

There is physical resemblance?

(Why? They can guess, but also they do not wish to assume.)

[fireindreams]

[The Grimmchild softly meows as Legion acknowledges them with their stare. It is fairly easily to thrill the child, apparently.

Grimm meanwhile ignores the urge to shake to rid himself of the water. But at most the jagged edges of his cloak flick, despite the wind being too soft to produce such a result normally.]

This is the Grimmchild, our child born from the Ritual and our dance in scarlet fire and shadow.

[So it is Grimm's child but also apparently the Knight's? Yes.]

[lightlessfuture]

[ There's nothing confusing about this definition at all. See, the Knight doesn't even argue it!

Instead of responding normally, they adjust their hood so that only one eyehole of their mask is visible, and then flap it a little. The Grimmchild looks between them and Legion, and then chitters with clear amusement.

The Knight seems very proud of their impression.

Kids. ]

[forwearemany]

(...)

Ritual?

(Synthetics such as themselves and the Knight, cannot procreate as far as they know.

...They still haven't quite grasped that the Knight is a child.

...They also don't really seem to know what to make of the Knight's impression of them, headtilting and chattering but saying nothing.)

[fireindreams]

[Grimm personally thought the Knight's impressing of Legion amusing and acknowledges it with a quiet chuckle. And he will explain what the Ritual.]

The Ritual is the means by which myself and Knight met. They called me to their land of Hallownest through the Nightmare Lantern and sought the flames of my kin and participated a passionate dance with me to grow this child.

[It is a straightforward explanation but that is by Grimm's standards. He is not lying, however.]

[lightlessfuture]

[ The Knight simply nods to confirm that what Grimm is saying is true. There's no need to clarify or explain any of this! It's straightforward and not confusing or weird at all, of course. How does a dance fit into this? Who knows.

They seem pleased by the reaction they got from their little impression, tilting their head back at Legion in response. The Grimmchild follows suit, apparently finding this bit of communication sufficient to entertain them. ]

[forwearemany]

(More headtilting, this time in the other direction. Also Geth noises. Legion is an endless supply of strange and funny expressions.

From the description, this sounds like something "magical" and not biological.

...Still though.)

This is outside of typical synthetic functions?

[fireindreams]

["Magic" and "Extreme Babysitting" is the best way to describe what happened. There were some details that Grimm felt did not need to be brought up (and one thing in particular that should not be brought up at all) so he decides to keep it simple.]

It is yes. The end result is the growth of the Grimmchild. However I have asked for them to be brought here to experience a land of life.

[It will aid in their growth in a way that Grimm's endless memories passed on could not.]

[lightlessfuture]

[ The Grimmchild certainly seems fascinated by Legion, at least. They hover closer, chirping and mewing as they try to imitate the Geth's constant chatter.

The Knight simply nods to answer Legion's question, lifting their hands to sign. ]

not-normal-life-cycle

[ The children made by the Pale King were merely meant to serve as containers for something much greater. Their functions began and ended in their name. ]

[forwearemany]

Acknowledged.

(The explanation is sufficient for the moment.

More interesting is the Grimmchild and their attempts to mimic Geth language.

Their headflaps lift slightly. After a moment, they make a simpler noise, slower so that it's easier for the child to hear the component clicks. They are curious if the child will be capable of mimicking it.)

[fireindreams]

[They try their best to follow along with Legion's example. If they have heard a cat before the noises the Grimmchild makes are much like the animal in question. Thus the clicks in response to Legion's sound like a Geth-cat...? If that exists, anyway.

Grimm is content to watch his child for a little while before speaking up.]

Quite curious. Do these clicks mean something, my friend?

[Their language, perhaps?]

[lightlessfuture]

[ The Knight tilts their head, clearly watching the lesson. Here is a question they had never thought to ask, whether that constant chatter of Legion's was something they would be able to understand. It was simply noise to them; they had a voice, so they had never thought to question further.

They can't click, lacking a mouth to do it with. But they tap one of their own horns with their nail, curious to see if they can imitate the sounds Legion is making accurately. ]

[forwearemany]

(A Geth cat does not exist, unfortunately. Still though, Legion seems pretty intrigued by the Grimmchild's attempt at mimickry.)

It is the language of our people.

(Except their people are dead, so it's mostly just the language of Legion.)

[fireindreams]

[Grimm cannot make sense of the various clicks but he too is intrigued. He knew the language of Hallownest and the various lands he's visited in the past but none of those used noise in the same manner.]

It is quite unique I must say.

[The Grimmchild seems to agree with their predecessor and their attempts at mimicking Legion become slower as they attempt to understand the Geth's language. They may be a child but they share the childlike curiosity of their predecessor's partner. This is all very new and they would like to know more about it.]

[lightlessfuture]

[ The Knight simply sits and listens, absorbing it with their usual silence. Only after a little time has passed do they raise their hands to sign to Legion. ]

would-like-to-learn

[ It is an almost-lost language, but the Knight considers them family, if only to make that ache of being alone easier to bear. They want to learn it, to keep it alive, if only just for a little while longer. ]

[forwearemany]

(They glance between the Knight, Grimm, and the Grimmchild, flaps rippling as they process the curious responses.)

We are willing to teach.

(It's an offer, not just to the Knight but to anyone else interested.)

[fireindreams]

[The Grimmchild understands the meaning of Legion's offer and claps, very much willing to learn what these curious clicks mean.]

They are quite interested in your kind offer my friend! And I am willing to learn another language myself, if you are willing to teach me as well.