January Event: Fade to Black

[lifeaftr_mods]

JANUARY EVENT: FADE TO BLACK

Who: Anyone and everyone!
What: Your true self comes to roost
When: January 21st - 23rd; January 25th - 28th
Where: All over!
Warnings: Dark subjects such as violence and self-destruction are likely to come to the forefront - please mark your content accordingly!

Down in that Darkness

This log is primarily for the Shadow and Light portions of the event, for ease and convenience. Your Shadow can be either the Persona-inspired sort - a "brutal, bitterly honest recreation of a character's worst flaws, darkest fears, and deepest secrets" - or the edgier, more laughable variant. The Lights, on the other hand, will do their utmost to convince their real selves of their best qualities, no matter how little they want to hear them.

Remember that the Shadows will be present from January 21st to January 23rd, and the Lights will be present from January 25th to January 28th.

On January 25th, we will post a separate log for Rejection Rooms!

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Some useful links, for reference:

[ ♆ ] OOC Event Post
[ ♆ ] Rejection Room Sign-Ups; remember to note your interest in these as soon as possible!
[ ♆ ] Deaths Page; death penalties have been reduced for the duration of this event, but still do let us know if your character dies regardless!

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] January 20th: The monthly Storytelling occurs.
[ ♆ ] January 21st: Shadows of both initial variants appear.
[ ♆ ] January 23rd: Shadows of both initial variants disappear.
[ ♆ ] January 25th Lights and Rejection Rooms appear.
[ ♆ ] January 28th: Lights and Rejection Rooms dissipate. Those still trapped in their Rejection Rooms by the event's end will suffer a character death.

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[suspecteverything]

"There are shadows everywhere. You can even see them now."

He motions to the shadows around his feet. They're the normal shadows. Ones that don't just get up, walk around, and become the person they were made from.

[savedbyasong]

"These ones were different. They moved on their own. Looked exactly like us. Did you not see any? There were lots of them."

Dagger kept himself to himself though, so that was perhaps why he had missed them.

[suspecteverything]

Light Jules looks genuinely surprised. Almost like he can't believe what Shion is saying is even real.

"No, I'm afraid I did not."

[savedbyasong]

"As I say, it's for the best. They seem to be gone now." He smiles though it was a little strange that Dagger had no seen any of them, or heard anyone else speaking of them.

"Do you need any help?" He nods at the remaining things Dagger has.

[suspecteverything]

"Help? No. I am delivering things that may be of help to others."

Things he has "borrowed" from the real Jules since he hasn't had the time to make them himself. The real Jules would be irked if he knew, but he will get over it eventually and certainly not make a big deal out of it with anyone who received the offerings.

[savedbyasong]

"I am sure they will be." Shion smiles, "Thank you for the food as well... I didn't realise it was you at first." Though he's had his suspicions for a while he had never known how to breach the subject, but this proved it at least.

[suspecteverything]

"You are, of course, very welcome. I'm happy to do it, and I certainly don't need thanks for it."

Even the real Jules wouldn't have denied bringing the gifts if he'd bee confronted directly like that, but he certainly wouldn't have been so open about taking credit for it. Shion would have received a much more bashful response complete with rosy cheeks.

[savedbyasong]

"Well I'm going to thank you anyways. It's a nice thing to do." And Dagger was... He was good at doing nice things but not so good at knowing that those things made him good.

[suspecteverything]

They certainly make him better. Even the real Dagger wouldn't argue that one.

"Is there anything else that you might need?"

Even if he doesn't have it, he could probably find it.

[savedbyasong]

"I'm fine thank you."

He smiled, even if everything was... not great it was good to see Dagger and to see him so happy.

If Shion hadn't been so tired he might have found it suspicious.

[suspecteverything]

"I might believe that if you were telling the truth, but I'm afraid I know better."

Jules could pick out his exhaustion even without reading his mind, but the mind reading gave him definitive proof.

[savedbyasong]

I'm fine was always a lie and it was a useless one when Dagger could read minds. Shion sighed and shrugged, "It's just been a difficult few days. And before that I was... away for a little while."

A difficult few days was putting it mildly but if Dagger hadn't even seen the shadows then there was a lot of context to explain.

[suspecteverything]

"Is there naught I can do to help alleviate that?"

That definitely sounded likes Jules. It was 100% something he would say. Or at least it was if he were in the middle of a formal court event where the eyes of the entire nation or universe really were watching him. And of course he cared for that brief moment.

[savedbyasong]

[He does blink at that. For a moment Dagger sounded like he had walked out of a novel, it wasn't quite as strangely worded as Shakespeare but it was formal and odd.

Not like Dagger at all...] Dagger? What's... Are you sure everything is alright?

[suspecteverything]

But a moment ago you thought I sounded particularly happy, and now you are worried that something is wrong?

[Sorry, he just doesn't understand.]

[savedbyasong]

I know... Sorry. I just... [It was wrong and it felt wrong. But it was hard to put into words, to explain exactly why he was worried. He was glad Dagger was happy but at the same time...]

You sounded very formal. Like something out of a book rather than like you usually do...

[Unless...] Unless you were quoting something. If you were I'm sorry. Ceej quotes things all the time and I always get muddled between what is a quote and what is just... Ceej. [Not so much anymore, he had learned the tells that Ceej was quoting, but there had been a time where much of what Ceej said was strange and confusing to him.

At least when Nezumi quoted things it was with a flourish, that made it obvious he was just being dramatic.]

[suspecteverything]

[A bright smile lights his face.]

I was formally court trained to be a member if not eventual leader of two different empires. Formality is rather a necessity for politics.

[And this Jules doesn't mind displaying his intelligence or gift with words. The real Jules... he doesn't really see those things in himself.]

[savedbyasong]

Oh... [He nodded, still a little confused.] You don't have to be formal with me though... I'm not a politician.

[suspecteverything]

I simply find this rather natural.

[Which would definitely not be for Jules.]

[savedbyasong]

[Shion stares at him for a moment, a small frown on his face.

Finally he speaks.] You're not him, are you?

[Not really him. Shion is still... He has no idea what is happening but it is clear that this is not the Dagger he knows.]

[suspecteverything]

I am a part of him. The best part of him in truth.

[He thinks so at least. The real Jules may argue that point, but he would at least agree it held some truth.]

[savedbyasong]

You're one of the lights... [That made sense actually. Made sense as to why this Dagger reminded him more of the Dagger he had seen in the dream worlds.] Has he seen you yet?

[suspecteverything]

I am indeed.

[He smiles. A truly radiant smile that the real Jules only uses on occasion. It's one Shion has probably never seen in full.]

Not yet, to my knowledge.

[savedbyasong]

[He smiles back, but it is tinged with fear. He's not sure Dagger will be any happier about his light than Wash was.]

Do you want him to?

[suspecteverything]

I am in no rush for him to discover me. I am more concerned with others here discovering me.

[And therefore learning about the best parts of Jules that he keeps hidden. The Light is aware that Jules doesn't totally deny his good parts. At least not to himself. Doubts them, yes, but doesn't totally deny them.]