you and me in the moonlight

[crosslaced]

Who: You!
What: A year end party MINGLELOG to help everyone recover from the Shit we’ve been through.
When: Forwarddated to Nov 24
Where: Enso E4, close to the ST Temple
Warnings: Mark as necessary, but none expected.

As the end of November draws near…… it’s time for that player plot the mods hinted at in their latest announcement.

Laurent’s Witch Labyrinth! -no, actually, it’s just a party.

[preparation]

All day on the 24th people are hard at work setting up on the golden beaches of Enso. The Storyteller’s Temple can be seen from the site and vice versa; it’s just a short walk away. There’s quite a bit to be done, so every extra pair of hands are welcome!

[the party]

As evening falls, a series of torches light up the party site for the lost; most prominent are the three large campfires spaced out across the beach, offering a variety of gathering spots for those who don’t like the loud partying going on at the other one.

There’s more than enough food to go around. An entire Cariborn is being dug up from the sandy soil way up the beach, having been roasted in the ground. There’s a wide variety spread out on tables… of handwaved origin… maybe they’re the ones left around from 4/20?? It’s probably fine. Herb- baked vegetables, fresh fruits, meat of various types, pizza!! and yes, Muffet’s Magic Blackberry Alcohol abound.

We’ve also got party favors. Amongst them, it seems like..... owo are these sparklers?

Come hang out! It’s a well-deserved break.

[activities]

The children (and adults so-inclined) have some cute party games to have fun with. There’s a simple little ringtoss area set up, with rings that aren’t even proper circles (listen, Laurent tried) and wooden stakes in the ground to be ringed.

Across the wide stretch of sand there's a lot that can be done- want to build some sandcastles? Pick some shells? Fight some crabs? The beach is dotted with doodles in the sand, inviting you to join in.

The biggest attraction is perhaps the petting zoo- well, it’s a cluster of animals just hanging out, but you get the idea. Located far up on the beach and away from the danger of the waves, the petting zoo has three whole Chocobos, two whole Tigerlilies (one of which is clearly guarding the Chocobos), and one whole horse. Sometimes two horses, but the grey wandering one is wearing a plaque that says “I BITE. PET ME CAREFULLY.”

[storyteller?]

Yes, ST-chan is invited! I’m leaving it to them to top-level or tag out at their leisure. Keep an eye out for the bunny god, they’re Coming.

Comments

ota

[catpiper]

[Guess who likes parties? It's this girl.

The ring toss is where she settles down for awhile. Because is it a game or party favor? And does the distinction between free gift and game matter in the end? Probably not. So she takes matters into her own hands-literally. She can figure this out. It looks like a bracelet therefore It Must Be One. Don't mind her, sitting by the ring goal, trying to shove the weird circles around her wrist. Or just hit her with one. Maybe she's the new goal now. Try to smack her and get some points.

Then she ambles over to petting zoo where she's deadeyeing the giant chickens, trying to offer them a slice of pizza while mimicking their weird bird noises. She's not an expert okay? She knows horses eat grass and tigerlillies are cats so everything they do is perfect, but what about this.

Please ignore the sound of her cluck coo as she tries to mimic the trills and communicate with the creature. She's just trying to get them to eat it!! Come on!! Gosh.

But really, she's all over the place. A hidden menace in the shadows. A little nightmare that's doodling stars all over the beach or shoving bits and pieces of food into her pocket, as per usual. Play with her!!]

[liveasmyself]

[Ray stops by the ring toss area, happy to see Ren even if she's baffled as to what the other girl is doing.]

Are you collecting them for the next game? I'll play if you need another person.

[Just doublechecking since she seems to be... wearing them. But, hey, that's a valid way to gather them all up.]

[catpiper]

[Let's pretend that's what she was up to-yeah, collecting for the next round. At least that answers her question about what this area was, though she seems reluctant to take the few rings she's wiggled onto her wrist off.

But she does for the sake of a game, leaving only one danging from her arm.]

It's a game? How do you play?

[liveasmyself]

[Ray watches the rings come off, all but one, and decides just not to comment on it for now. No one's saying she can't repurpose it, so it's fine, right?]

It's easy--we throw those rings onto that stake that's next to you. Whoever gets the most on wins. Can I have one?

[She motions towards one of the rings, ready to demonstrate.]

[catpiper]

[Sure, Ray can have one.

One. Because all the rings in her hand? She places directly on the stake and looks towards her friend to see how the points are being tallied. At least she's courteous enough to pull one off her tower of cheating to toss back, aiming for her feet, but who knows where it'll end up.]

Is that how you win? By putting them all there?

BEACH

[antepone]

[ Hello little gremlin, Mira Is Here.

She kneels down next to Ren, arms on the tops of her knees. She hums for a moment, then draws a lil kitty head. ]

Here, it's like the kitty's gone to space.

[catpiper]

[Yes, Mira. That's the spirit. Ren's beyond thrilled to have someone play along with her and she makes another addition-a puffy cloud under the cat's feet.]

And now that cat can take a nap.

[antepone]

They do sleep most of the day, after all.

[ She smiles and draws another cat. She doesn't miss the orange mark on the back of Ren's hand; it matches hers, and while she worries about what they mean, if they have the same mark, maybe that means she can watch over Ren.

Even if, in the end, she can't do much. Even if she's not strong enough. ]

So... are you enjoying the party?

[catpiper]

[It fills her terrible heart with delight to see the matching orange emblem on her hand. She splays her hand in the air, holding it up to Mira's own fingers, content as can be. This feels more like a gift-a glowing, colorful treasure they can wear? Nothing spooky about that.]

I like it-it's very fun. Did you see that big bird? And the pizza?

food tables

[barberian]

(There's a lot of different things going on here. The varying meat and roasted vegetables are the most familiar to Yasha, but there are even more things here that she does not recognise. She's particularly taken with the bright bowls of fruits: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. There are candies scattered about everywhere too, and the bright foils draw her eye almost immediately. Plucking one from the table, she starts to unwrap it curiously, and glances to the side.

Ren is standing there, stuffing food into her pockets. Yasha just stares at her.)

... Why are you doing that?

[catpiper]

[Why does one do anything, Yasha? This world is filled with mysteries and life is short, so why question the raccoon to her side, who seems well practiced in this pocket filling area? It's fine. So fine, in fact, she doesn't know what Yasha's referring to right away.

She stares at her candy filled hands, down to her crammed pockets and then up at her face.]

I'm saving it. That's what you do. You keep it and hide it and eat it when your stomach growls a lot.

[There's a small pause as Ren scans her, looking for something, only asking when it's not readily apparent.]

Where's your favorite pocket?

[barberian]

Oh. Okay.

(It's not a terrible idea. She won't get in trouble for that? Yasha looks to her other side but nobody is exactly guarding the table or anything. She could probably take some fruit for later, too. When she looks back, Ren is staring intently at her like she's looking for something. Yasha blinks, taken aback.)

Do... people usually have a favourite pocket?

(She's never heard of such a thing.)

[catpiper]

[Little does Yasha know, she's a leading expert on pocket and pocket based behaviors. Graduated top of her class. She's really the best person to ask about this stuff and she seems more than eager to dole out this ridiculous knowledge.]

Yes, it's the pocket you put your important things in. That's your favorite because it's the safest.

[See? Incredible. She holds up a piece of candy, clearly ready to put it somewhere on Yasha's person.]

I'll put this thing in the pocket you like.

closed to taako

[catpiper]

She started her Uncle Taako search about an hour or two ago, and had she stayed the course, she would have probably found him right away. But things, and people, catch her eye and that powerful hold on her attention outweighs whatever focus she has. Chocobos, juggling, horses, food, campfires, pizza-it's so much and she has no qualms about hanging around until last call to enjoy every second of it, but she needs to find him. The iStone is a safety net she's trying to ignore since being stealthy is key.

And then she spots him, off in the distance, like some kind of elf beacon in the night. Nice. She slowly, slowly, moves closer, hiding behind people and tables because there's no way he can cheat with his super elf hearing when the party's this lively.

Don't turn around. Don't look at her. Ignore the item she's clutching in her grubby hands. It's safe!! It's fine!!

[ohshitsweetflips]

All the passive perception in the world cannot save Taako now. Ren has learned from some of the best, and if any errant sandy crunch or familiar rustle happens to stand out from the general party din, he gives no real sign of the fact. His ears have a mind of their own, who could say what motivates the occasional flick or swivel? Absolutely nobody.

Taako, a paragon of grace and unconcern, believes himself ready to accept any fate, be it from the hands of god, man, or Ren. Prove him wrong.

[catpiper]

This is it. The stars have aligned and if she were the type to believe in destiny, fate, or in the ability for the universe to come together for a common goal, this would be the point she gave thanks to it all. He doesn't see her. He doesn't hear her. Her stealth rolls are hitting double digits and she can see victory in her sight.

From her crouched position by a table, she slowly stands up-her unblinking eyes on him, ready to pop back down if he turns her way.

And when she sees an opportunity to complete her task, she pulls her hand back and tosses the item in her hand with all her might. Thankfully, it's not a rock or a hunk of pure metal-it's one of the rings from the ring toss game. It soars through the air like the beautiful ring thing it is and she watches with anticipation as it heads towards her target-his head. Or specifically, the top of his hat. That's really just a hard mode stake anyway and it would look nicer there than in the game area.

If he doesn't move away, it's probably going to whack some part of his body.

[ohshitsweetflips]

And whack it does, just off target enough to take down his hat without either threatening the integrity of his skull or obligating him to give out a prize. He blinks after the initial startle, follows the missile's trajectory, more confused than alarmed, which just goes to show how soft island life has made him. So this is happening, huh? Children are throwing things at him like rogue wildlife in the street? Beach. Whatever, this was probably always going to have happened.

"Alright, well, that's on me for not teaching you to throw underhand. Game's probably rigged anyway, good call." Suddenly, Taako understands what he should have been doing with this party all along, but hastily stows that regret, reclaiming his fallen hat and the ring but not his dignity. He'll rig another game another time for sure though. Give it maybe half an hour. "Having fun?"

God help him, he really wants to know, and even hear about it. Ren never disappoints.

Ring Toss

[yallstupid]

[He had intended to stay in, but the draw of free food and good music was enough to even draw Guzma out of his hidey hole for a few hours. An once he has enough drink in him, he begins to actually seem a lot less withdrawn and a little more loose. The pizza is also helping a lot - there are just some sorts of foods you miss from home, and this calorie rich treat is hitting the spot for comfort food real well.

He's watching from a spot on the beach, shoving his fourth slice into his mouth and downing it with some of that good, good drink. There's a definite flush to his face, and he's a lot more loose than normal, but he's...still there. Buzzing, but not quite drunk enough to where it'd effect him poorly. For now, anyway. He watches Ren fumble with the game and the rings for a while, chuckling quietly to himself, then can no longer watch the poor girl fail so, so hard...

He wipes his mouth with the back of one hand - like a fucking heathen - and saunters up to her slowly. He's dragging his feet a little bit, but at least he looks in better spirits than he has been. Probably because of the spirits he's been chugging, but eh...she doesn't have to know that.]

Ey-o, darlin'...them rings ain't for wearing. Y'all never play this game 'fore?

[catpiper]

[Had Guzma not appeared and said the magic word, she would've left the area with all the rings dangling from her arm. He's the real hero of the party and while it's unlikely she'll be deterred from Grand Theft Ring for long, it's a temporary distraction. Because game. She wants to play?? Please??

And she wants to play with him in particular because she missed him. His absence didn't go unnoticed-the heartbreaking realization that he couldn't feel the heart of the spirit next to him and understand that it wasn't real. That no one was able to save him. That he died and there was someone he missed so desperately he was willing to follow her to the end.

But he's here now and she hurries to his side, holding her ring covered arm straight in the air, like she's asking a question in a classroom. It's her way of offering him one without taking them all off. Just grab it.]

I don't know this game-do you get points? Is there a 'goal?' Do you throw a ball?

[yallstupid]

[He's definitely tipsy enough to play a few games of Ring Toss with the little girl, though his aim may not be as spot on if he were sober...but it's fine, probably. Not like there's anything they can actually win from this, right? It's just to have fun and enjoy the space. To get up, get out, and socialize with people - to enjoy camaraderie with the people around you.

One by one, Guzma takes the rings off of Ren's arm, sighing as he looks around a bit. Is there really no one manning these things? Good lord, way to be irresponsible... The literal goblins here could make off with a lot more than just a few toy rings, if not supervised at all goddamn times. He holds three rings out to Ren, keeping the rest for himself, for now anyway - for demonstration, mostly.]

Settle down n'I'll tell you. Now, what y'all wanna do is toss these rings out onto where them bottles are lined up, see? [He squints his eyes a bit, trying to aim for the top of one bottle, then gives it a careful toss and...ting! The top of the bottle rattles a bit as the ring catches onto it and settles there, stopped in place by the largere, more rounded part of the bottle. Guzma hops a bit with a fist in the air.] Yeah! Like that!! Usually at fairs n' carnivals if'n y'get three rings on them bottles, you get a small prize. But I don't think no on's here to give out points...hm.

How 'bout we say y'get one point if you get a ring on the front rows, three for the middle rows, and five points for the back rows, yeah? [He'll even draw their scores in the sand, with tallies.]

[catpiper]

[How can she settle down when he's talking about points and prizes? That description does the exact opposite of calming her down and while she isn't yammering off with a thousand more questions, she's pacing behind him with the rings in her hand. The only sound that comes out of her happens when he hits the bottle and she throws her arms in the air with a loud good job.

But that leads to one problem-he's already gotten some point. He did a good job, which means he might be great at this game. That hidden, competitive nature starts to show itself as she tries to calculate just how many points she'll need.

There's a fire burning in her eyes. She will Win. It doesn't matter if there's a prize-she can make her own.]

I'll get the back rows every time.

[A WILD REN WANTS TO BATTLE. FIGHT HER.]

petting zoo!

[deathfindsaway]

[Once again, there goes Ren, running around and taking pocket food and stealing things. It's exactly what he's expecting to see here, and he's long since decided that trying to stop her or understand any of her thoughts is more trouble than it's worth, so he's just kind of let it go. Sometimes these things happen. This is how he got into a good place with Taako, just sort of letting himself get trampled on, so here they are again.

Regardless, he's been hovering around the petting zoo for a while, not really knowing how to engage but kind of wanting to. But he finally, finally has to intervene when she's trying to feed them god knows what, and heads over.]

Ren, sweetie. Don't you think you might want to ask whoever owns these animals before feeding them? You wouldn't want them to eat something they're not supposed to have.

[catpiper]

[She could ask someone, sure.

Could, but she doesn't even glance for the owner, opting to stare at the pizza instead. Nothing on there looks dangerous to birds. It's cheese and bread and sauce? Not that it makes a difference because the bird is wholly uninterested in this meal. It trills and chirps without a care in the world.]

It won't eat the pizza, so it's okay.

[There's a moment where she tries to triangulate this treat back into her pocket, but it's not gonna fit with all the other grub she has in there, thankfully. Guess she's carrying it. That's fine. That's whatever. Because she has another pressing question on the tip of her tongue and he'll know the answer. He's a bird expert.]

Is this bird a raven?

[deathfindsaway]

[That's the other nice thing about Ren- she tends to assume he kind of knows everything. Which is quite a bit of a boost to his ego, at least, even when the questions can be nonsensical.]

No, it's not a raven. Ravens are black, and much smaller. Haven't you seen pictures of them?

[They're only pressed on all of his buttons, after all.]

I... don't know what kind of animal this is, to be honest. Most birds are much smaller than this. Or at least have less... feet.

[Some sort of ground bird, probably. A kind of giant chicken? He's unclear.]

What I do know is birds don't typically eat cheese. Fatty foods like that can be dangerous for them.

closed to barry

[catpiper]

[What up, Mr. Bluejeans?? He probably wasn't intending to catch her eye, but once he's in her line of sight, she does everything in her power to get his attention. Which is difficult, considering she's under one of the food tables and her Big Plan to do that involves literally reaching out to grab him like some kind of demon. She tries to grab his pant leg or tap his shoe with her fingers with a loud-]

Barry. Barold. Look, look!