Exploration Event: Neverwere

[lifeaftr_mods]

EXPLORATION EVENT: NEVERWERE

Who: Everyone!
What: Your wildest dreams come true!
When: May 15th to May 18th
Where: Ziziphus, those still on Ensō...and Mu
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Then Know That My Life Was Just a Killer Dream
You can find most of the information you need in the OOC info post! In the meantime, feel free to use this log as a catch-all for your dream worlds, as well as detailing your efforts to free one another. Whether they're on Ziziphus or Ensō at the time of the dreams' capture, your character is free to access as many dreams as you like, as the interlocking mental landscape allows for that sort of crossing over apropos of nothing. And time, of course, is very fluid in dreams - many days, months, and years can transpire in a matter of mere minutes.

Will you fight your way free from Ziziphus's vines or Mu's thrall, or are you content to die in your sleep?

Remember to let us know if your character dies during this event!

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] May 15th: The vines make their move, ensnaring characters in ideal fantasy worlds
[ ♆ ] May 17th: The Storyteller will make contact with those they can, as well as issue information and a potential solution
[ ♆ ] May 18th: Those that have not freed themselves from the vines or from Mu will suffer a death

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[catpiper]

[That's right. A little borrowing between friends never hurt and she moves ahead of them, ready to break into the crate for all their chalky needs.

The Guardian always does this kind of thing for them-

Right?

While she had been impatiently drumming her fingers against the side of the crate, the terrible music abruptly stops as she tries to remember their face. Surely she's seen them? It's Drifter's family. A trusted friend and-

She can't picture them at all.]

Is the guardian here?

[hyperlit]

[A tip of their head to one side, and...wouldn’t she know them? They live here, this is their house, they’ve lived here longer than the Drifter has, so why...?]

[A faint pucker appears between those beetle-black eyes. This doesn’t make any sense, none at all. Something about it unsettles them, crawls under their skin like some many- legged thing, but they can’t put their finger on what. Where is the Guardian? Should they not be here?]

not presently
strange

[catpiper]

Did they leave a note?

[There are lots of shops and houses about. They may have taken a stroll across the city, wandered off to get more chalk, found sweet deals at the local shop, but surely they'd have some kind of sign in the house to show where they went.

Or maybe, it doesn't matter at all? It's hard to say.]

We can color out front until they come back.

[hyperlit]

[...right. Yes. That would make sense. The Guardian is fine, they're fine, and they should be back...sometime today. They'll - there's no reason they would be away, but maybe they went for a walk. The Drifter searches the surfaces they can think of the check, tables and chairs and countertops, but there's nothing to indicate where they may have gone.]

[Odd. But...the Guardian can be aloof, at times. It's no trouble, really.]

[The child's solution is a sound one. The Drifter nods, a little more readily capable of expressing relief than they would be typically.]

we'll wait for them
make something nice for their return

[catpiper]

We'll draw pictures of them. That'll make them look at you and smile.

[It comes out natural, like she's said that before, but once again, her mind draws a blank on their appearance. A person she should absolutely, definitely know and yet she can only remember how Drifter looks when she shuts her eyes.

That soccer kid-she can't remember them either. Weird.

It makes her nervous and that means it's time to shove her anxiety in the crate to replace the chalk they're about to take. Maybe they all look like Drifter. That's why.]

What color do you want?

[hyperlit]

pink

[Said without much hesitation, but - the color seems significant. Warm and a reminder of the furred ruff on their friend’s cloak, and yet - sharp, also, like needles in lungs. How can it be both? It makes no sense.]

[Very little about this is making much sense at all.]

like their cloak

[catpiper]

[Yeah, okay. That's what they say and she has to believe they know, despite all Drifter based evidence pointing otherwise. Maybe their cloak was red and it faded while they ran around in the sun? Maybe water made it lighter-pinker? Maybe it was pink to begin with?

She grabs the red and pink chalk from the pile, along with blue and whatever other colors she can shove into her grubby little hands. Nothing matters and everything is perfect. They're gonna deface this front yard until the sun goes down.]

I'll bring more so they can play with us. They'll want to draw things too.

[hyperlit]

[Will they? ...possibly, yes. The Guardian...likes children, don't they? They - they - ]

[Didn't they have a child of their own? Someone they loved? Someone they lost ]

[The Drifter shakes their head firmly, as if to clear it, and helps Ren gather up the remaining sticks of chalk instead of dwelling on it. They cannot allow their mind to wander. Not now. They have important drawing to do.]

not like them to disappear

[It's too like them.]

[catpiper]

[She can't say for sure if it is like them or not. They've always been here when she's come by to drag Drifter out of their shared home. Even if she can't remember their face, their voice-do they even talk?

Weird.]

Is their small friend here? We could find that thing and ask where they went.

[Because surely they have the same floaty companion Drifter does. Maybe they didn't take the little item with them because they wanted to play around with sign language today.]

[hyperlit]

[That they do - it's standard equipment for most drifters. Drifters, who are...not...necessary, so much? Were they ever? Why are they drifters when they've done no drifting whatsoever?]

sprites always accompany their drifters

[The sentence is issued automatically, but it doesn't explain anything, really.]

[The Drifter pauses, puzzlement evident in the lost look on their face.]

are they drifting
?

but they live
here

[catpiper]

[Too bad this isn't the world where The Fast And Furious is popular, because she could point them to another kind of drifting their partner might be up too.

But unfortunately, this isn't that reality and all she can do is look at them. The drifter in front of her isn't drifting either? Is it so weird the Guardian is the same way?

Maybe-]

They're a 'Guardian'. That means they have to guard things. I think they left to do that.

[Does that. Does that help.]

[hyperlit]

[She's talking like...like she doesn't know them. Like maybe she doesn't remember them. That's impossible, though - they live here, with the Drifter. This is the Guardian's house. So where are they? Why does she speak like she's never met them before in her life?]

[Like she can't draw them, when they should know them as well as the drifter with whom they room?]

don't you remember them

[catpiper]

[She doesn't know how to answer that question-the memory's unclear and she can't recall any part of their face, their voice, their little texting friend. And she knows it's someone who should be easy to pick out, but all she can think of is-

Drifter.

Their question makes her feel tense and nervous and in order to shake those horrible feelings, she opts to believe-]

I'm tired. That's why I can't remember. We ran around a lot today.

[Her and soccer kid, right? Yeah. That's what happened. It's been a fun day.]

I'll remember when I see them again.

[hyperlit]

[That doesn't make any sense at all, now, does it? Why wouldn't she remember? She's tired. She...maybe she is tired. Or maybe...]

[The Drifter steps forward, uselessly, to try and fit a hand to her forehead, even if they can't exactly place the origin of that instinct. It seems entirely pointless, considering they wear gloves, and they cannot even gauge what sort of temperature might be the ideal one for someone of her physiology.]

are you sick

[catpiper]

[Not here is her first thought. One she doesn't say to them because it makes no sense? What a weird day.

The gesture itself surprises her-they've always held a deep concern for her, one she shared in turn despite the peaceful world around them. It was unshakable no matter how she convinced herself nothing scary was happening, but this is-new? Have they done this before? Their touch isn't unwelcome by any means and she doesn't move away because it's kind of nice, if unnecessary.]

I'm not sick-it's okay. Nothing hurts and my heart's beating like it's supposed to.

[That's comforting right?? Right. Now to try and convince them she's really okay, because she totally is. Just feeling a little sleepo beepo probably.]

I'll remember their face when we draw, so we can play now. That's how it works.

[hyperlit]

[The Drifter remains...unconvinced.]

[But there’s hardly any point in upsetting her over something like that, surely. She’s sounding more certain of herself, and she seems healthy enough, and the Drifter regards her carefully for several long, long moments before at last they relent.]

are you sure

[catpiper]

When I'm sick, I can't run very fast.

[Is she going to run?? Maybe. She looks poised for it, in case they don't believe her. She's going to put the issue to rest once and for all!!! With a challenge? A request? It's something. ]

But I can run faster than you right now, so I'm okay.

[hyperlit]

[That momentarily smooths over their concern and uncertainty, crinkling their dark eyes at the edges in apparent amusement at that claim.]

think so do you

[They will race you, tiny child. They will race you if they must.]

[catpiper]

[She doesn't think!! She knows!! They're fast, but she can be faster-no problem.

Which is to say, she's well aware of their speed and the odds of her winning are extremely small, but she has a secret weapon up her sleeve.]

Look!

[She's pointing up the ceiling!! Oh no, what could it be?? This is a flawless plan that she feels has worked in the past, so let's try it again.]

[hyperlit]

[Horrible little child, trying to trick them with silly games like that. The ruse is obvious a mile off; the Drifter still makes an exaggerated show of looking up and all over, in search of something of note that does not truly exist.]

[They would have to be soulless not to fall for it.]

[catpiper]

[They fall for her devious plan like a fool and she takes pride in her successful cheating ways.

And off she goes to-where? Who knows, but she's flying along as fast as her little human feet can muster. Bye Drifter, bye Felicia, she's outtie and ready to go for the gold. Victory will be hers!!!]

[hyperlit]

[They give her a few meters of head start before they come streaking at her and - they don't surpass her, oh no. Instead, they sweep her up in their arms and, lightning-quick, buck beneath her so she's more or less hitched up onto their shoulders.]

[Piggyback rides, apropos of nothing! Far better than thinking about friends who may or may not exist!]

[catpiper]

[HOLY-

SOMETHING.

The shock of being pulled off her feet is replaced with absolute amusement and joy and all kinds of incredible, happy feelings. She throws her arms up and act like she's flying through the clouds. They're racing together across the comfortable town that only feels like home when she's with Drifter. And that's 1000x better than running through the streets alone.

Deuces, Guardian. They'll worry about them another day. Right now?

She's too busy excitedly pointing their friend around saying turn this way and run that way and generally being a literal backseat driver.

But she's having so much fun. They're gonna both win first prize and that's the greatest gift of all.]

[hyperlit]

[This here is worth it. More than worth it. Ren's giddy delight is infectious, even if the Drifter doesn't articulate it with laughter and cheers the way she does. But they acquiesce at every command, turning smoothly, bolting across the ground in a linear, purpled blur.]

[The Drifter can move absurdly fast when they put their mind to it. And they do.]

[catpiper]

[No matter how much her confidence balloons when playing games, this moment shows that she's no match for the mighty Drifter in a running contest. They're going mach five, mach six? They're super fast. That's all there is to it. The sharp turns make her reflexively grab their helmet, consumed with fits of laughter.

She's not scared because Drifter's with her. It can be fun to fly and when they're moving in straight lines, she raises her hands high into the air to feel the wind against her fingers.

The Gurdian is lucky to have this blue bean by their side, wherever they are and she-

Feels lucky too, being able to live in this beautiful town with her friend. She can't wait to tell soccer kid about this-tomorrow Drifter will have two terrible fiends waiting outside their door, itching for their own piggy back rides across the city.]