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

[antepone]

Could you ask the Storyteller if that would be possible? It would be valuable to have.

[ She nods, letting out a soft sigh. ]

We could have hot food any time we wanted.

[postictal]

[Tim snorts softly.] I don't really talk to them if I can help it. Or...interact with them much.

[It's a personal thing. In some ways, he...still remembers Ozuma. Mostly, he's just paranoid.]

[antepone]

[ Oh. ]

I could ask them, then. Just to be sure.

[postictal]

[He looks at her directly, at that. It's not an easy feat; he automatically eschews eye contact, especially with people he doesn't know all that well.]

...you always offer to do things no one else wants to?

[antepone]

[ ... Huh. Is that what it seems like? She looks a little surprised. ]

Well... I can't really do much else. So if I can do something that might help the others here, then I'm happy to.

[postictal]

[The part of him that wants something to do with his hands says that he needs a smoke. The part that's hung up on present company insists that there's too many kids around, and he shouldn't be so quick to flood away the aftertaste of the first slice of pizza he's had in literal years.]

Just noticed that's a trend around here. People doing things that no one else wants to.

[antepone]

[ She never noticed it. Now that he's pointed it out, though... ]

I think it's because a lot of people just want to help. [ She pushes a bit of hair out of her eyes. It's a nervous gesture, more than anything. ] I've... never come across such a big group of people so willing to help one another.

[ Or, at least, that's what she hopes. ]

[postictal]

[It's not like he's any better. Denny was his effort, after all. He had help, but he's the one who took the building and decided to make something of it.]

We're all in the same sinking boat, 's why.

[antepone]

Nothing like unfortunate circumstances to bring people together.

[ It's not all bad, really. She's met some incredible people. But, still... the worst memories stick out the most. ]

I'm Mira, by the way.

[postictal]

Tim.

[He's seen her, he knows, but he's seen most people. He's more observant than people generally give him credit for, though he tends to watch more than he does intervene.]

You've been here a while, yeah?

[antepone]

Quite a while.

[ Longer than she can remember, which... bothers her, at best. Terrifies her, at worst. Storyteller had told her it was just how her story is.

But it's still frightening. ]

You have too, right?

[postictal]

Since day one.

[It's dry, rote.]

Give it just over a year, and we have a Denny, an infirmary, and magic metal.

[antepone]

[ She falls quiet as she considers that. ]

I wonder what we'll be able to have in another year. Maybe we'll find ourselves a power plant and cell phones.

[postictal]

I did come here with a cell phone. Not that it lasted. [Something about the water here. As always.]

Sure as hell'd be better than magic pebbles.

[antepone]

Mine got left at home, I'm fairly sure.

[ She stretches her legs out. ]

If we had cell phones, we could play games on them, too. Take pictures and videos... It would be nice during parties.

[postictal]

Back where I was before, people figured out how to make this...generator. Used it to power an entire network. Something to do with magic and electricity.

[Pity he never asked Sans how it worked. But then, him expressing even that kind of courtesy interest might have been termed suspicious, given how adamantly Tim tried to stay in his lane at first.]

[antepone]

[ Huh. Doesn't that sound familiar. ]

You were in another world before coming here?

[postictal]

Yeah. Place called Sol Raveh.

[It wasn't an ideal spot for a vacation.]

Castle in the Mist, war between darkness and light. You hear anyone mention it?

[antepone]

I can't say I have... the only other place I've heard of like that was just... space.

You were in a war?

[postictal]

Space.

[Not sure if he's gonna be envious of that, not gonna lie. Tim rolls one shoulder in a partial shrug and glances back at the fire.]

...I guess. There wasn't a lot of actual war going on when I was there. Mostly just the shadows doing whatever they wanted, and the people who kept them back.

[antepone]

Space, [ she says with a nod.

Honestly... anywhere else would've been better, Mira thinks. But she doesn't want to dwell on the past when she has so many good things here.

(She doesn't want to, but she still does.)

She almost considers asking if he misses his home. She decides that's too personal for a first meeting. ]

I see... I only came from Washington, so this is all new to me. This whole... different worlds thing.

[postictal]

[That earns Tim's equivalent of mild surprise, which is as subdued as the man himself - a slight lift of his eyebrows, and a faint hum.]

You're from...uh, Earth?

[God, he sure hates that he has to phrase it like that. This is just his life now. Can't assume that people are from Earth.]

[antepone]

I am. Well... a version of Earth, I guess.

[ She shifts a little. ]

But it's very much Earth. Are... you from Earth, too?

[postictal]

A version of it, I guess. [He hopes to god she's not from the same version. Ha.]

[He opens a hand, as if to gesture at himself.] Alabama.

[and BOY DID HE HATE IT]

[antepone]

[ The only spooky critter she's very familiar with is Mothman, who is DEFINITELY real. No Slender Mens here. ]

Alabama... I've never been there. Just around Washington and Oregon. France, before that.