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

[postictal]

[He doesn't quite laugh, but he makes...a noise. A short huff of air that's the closest he gets to it.]

It means relaxing, kid.

[catpiper]

[If it's about relaxation, she's another occupant of chill town. There are too many strong, brave people in one place for there to be a problem. It feels safe, even without her kitty companions.]

I'm unwinding a lot. Nothing is scary here, so it's easy to do that kind of thing.

[postictal]

That's good. After last month -

[Mm. Ah. You know what, let's not go there. He doesn't pursue it.]

It's better than last month was, yeah?

[catpiper]

[Hearing last month is a reminder of how everything can fall apart overnight, if a couple ghosts appeared to take away her friends and family again.

But there was one part-]

We got to celebrate your birthday again. Lots of them. That was very fun too.

[For the split second they did, with her meager sparkler offerings.]

[postictal]

You...uh, what?

[He has definitely not heard about his future self. Whoops. He blinks, frowning slightly.]

Gonna have to explain that one.

[catpiper]

You were older, but you didn't look like a grandpa.

[How does one explain spooky future ghosts on the beach?? She doesn't know how it happened, just that it did. It was weird. ]

So I said 'happy birthday' to you and we played.

[postictal]

[He sits up a little straighter. There's something sparking his eyes, something like panic, something bright enough to pierce the dense fog that always shrouds his head.]

What...specifically happened, Ren? What was he like? Did he do anything to you?

[catpiper]

[The way he's inquiring about that moment and attentive look in his face is making her nervous, even though the memory itself is harmless enough.]

You still had your kind heart and you were making pretty wood things on the beach.

[He looked happier?? But it's hard to say and she doesn't comment on that.]

You didn't do anything to me. We talked and played with sparklers. That's what happened.

[postictal]

[His shoulders have drawn up, his heart spooled up into a tight knot in his chest. He's too busy thinking of something else - a dark, off-color version of himself, a small boy with strange eyes who couldn't give straight answers but bent over himself and ｓｃｒｅａｍｅｄ - ]

That wasn't me.

[It sounds harmless. That doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make any sense but it swells up, presses against his ribs, grits his teeth.]

Okay? That wasn't me.

[catpiper]

[This is one of those times where she isn't sure what's going on, but there's a dawning realization this might be upseting him for a reason she's not meant to understand. He says That wasn't me and she doesn't say anything because it was a piece of him.

Or maybe it wasn't. She didn't try to sit around and feel his heart in full, while he was being so kind. Simply accepted things as were because there was no reason to question it.]

Okay, I won't call that guy 'Tim' anymore. He can be someone else.

[Maybe Mit, the future boy.]

[postictal]

He didn't give you anything, right? He didn't...he didn't leave you anything that would stick?

[Could it have happened again? People would've said something, right? If there were shadows swarming all over, ever so slightly off, the true self burning through - ]

[People would have said something.]

[But he can't really know for sure.]

[catpiper]

[Anything that would stick? That's a weird choice of words, but she can safely shake her head because no he didn't give her anything.

The previous ghosts didn't give people things either. They attached to their hosts, trying to pull them people to scary places. Unless some tried bribery-Seto didn't. Couldn't. She can't be sure about her companions.

She holds out her hands, palms facing up, to show she has nothing. As if that's going to help ease his worries from a past exchange.]

No, there's nothing that 'stuck.' We just talked. He didn't act scary.

[postictal]

They don't always.

[His lips press together, and he looks away. The shadow was obvious in the way that all of them were, but...]

How long did you talk to him?

[catpiper]

[It's hard to say and she's not sure how to respond. It wasn't like she spent days with that nice not!Tim. An hour? Maybe less? Time is mysterious and also fake.]

I don't remember that kind of thing.

[A couple sparklers, a couple happy birthdays and-]

Not very long.

[postictal]

...good.

[She didn't know. She didn't notice anything amiss. How much older? Not a grandpa, which doesn't exactly narrow it down. How's he supposed to believe something like that anyway, huh? How's he supposed to believe that he'd ever last that long - ]

Good. It's better like that.

[catpiper]

Yes.

[Disagreeing isn't an option because who knows what that apparition was, especially when he's denying it so much. But if it was his future-

She hopes he's able to fall into that path and continue on with a quiet, happy life. Hopes she can see it with her own two eyes.]

I want to be with the real Tim. It's better like this.

[postictal]

I think so too.

[His breathing is still a little too rapid, his eyes shuttering, flicking nervously, like he's expecting something to materialize at the corners of his vision. He hasn't felt like this in weeks, but the reflex is never far away. He always waits for It to happen. Waits for It to show up.]

[It doesn't.]

[catpiper]

[There's one certainty in all of this-the real Tim's in front of her, holding a pizza cone and trying to enjoy the night. The stars. Maybe the music and the people too. It's hard to tell when he stays on the outskirts of the party like this, but he's here to unwind. Relax. Maybe find a reason to smile.

She can't do much to calm him down and it's unlikely he'll take her hand. He usually doesn't unless it's for her sake.

So she scoots closer and starts piling the items from her pockets by his side. It's just garbage-a mixture of candy, rocks, and seashells. This is her only power. Take It.]

This will make your heart feel better.

[postictal]

[Physical touch. Something stirring his hands, his mind. Breathe. Everything break-splinters into fragments and he can't track what he's supposed to think, what he's supposed to feel, until something lands in the sand beside him and Ren says something. He doesn't parse it. He blinks through the sludge that's been made of his thoughts, stares at her.]

[It takes him a minute to answer.]

Uh. Thanks.

[catpiper]

[His attitude doesn't change, save for his attempt to look at her, which means her pocket gifts have failed. The rocks and shells didn't work, but she has a list of hobbies and she's going down the list. All the methods she's perfected around elfcamp might be useful now. Not that they always work there either-it's usually enough to make them smile for a second though and she's not going to leave until he seems happier.]

I can make your hair pretty. I know how to do that.

[postictal]

My hair, huh?

[It's...a mess, he knows, peripherally, the same way that the rest of him is. Uncombed, unwashed. He takes better care of himself here, ironically, than he did during some of his lowest points back home, but it's a question of necessity. Sometimes days pass before he can get away to really and honestly shower the worst of it away.]

[catpiper]

[That's not a no, so she inches closer, holding her hands above his head in preparation for his okay to do so. Look into her eyes, Tim. Please. She needs this.]

Yes, Uncle Taako said I could have a 'hair franchise' so that means I'm good at it. I'll make it look nice.

[postictal]

[What the fuck is a hair franchise. You know what - he doesn't know. Doesn't matter. It's clear that Ren is raring to do something, and he owes it to her after snapping at her for something she had no control over, so...]

[Fuck it. He shrugs, opening a hand.]

Go for it, I guess.

[His hair is probably long enough to do something with it by now.]

[catpiper]

[This is the best day.

For as long as he'll let her, this poor soul is going to have his hair braided, unbraided, triple braided together with little mini ponytails tied together with whatever threads she can pull out of her shirt because there aren't enough ties in the world for her mission. It's horrible. And terrible. It goes on and on and on and on-

But when all the little ends of his hair have been touched by her grubby hands and there's nothing left for her to pull up and/or braid, she unwraps the last of her ring pops and tries to pluck it on his finger. Amazing. Incredible. Beautiful. Now he's a bougie boy ready to hit the town.]

[postictal]

[It's not the most comfortable sensation, if he's honest. He doesn't tend to like it when people lay their hands on him, and even if she'd asked, sitting still while she does...whatever she wants is a bit of a trial. He picks at a spot of mud on his knuckles, scrapes at a scab crusted at the underside of his wrist.]

[He's positive his expression looks more than slightly strained, but he tries to ease the tense lines in his neck, lets her adorn his finger with a...ring pop, of all things.]

Where'd you get this?