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!

---

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

cw: self destructive behavior

[thermalwind]

[He nods slowly and stares down at his hands.] I felt expendable. I...

[Keith falls silent and clenches his hand. His light's expression is no longer a smile. It's a solemn expression full of remorse.] You found a place you wanted to belong and it felt as if you weren't good enough. Your loyalty and love for them have been deep even if you didn't know you were friends or not. To you, they were people that matter. They still do. They're family now. Aside from mom the only family you have.

[He looks back up at Allura and sets his hands on his thighs. He has to meet her gaze. He brings his hand up and rubs at his scar.] It's not like that now. I know who I am. I know where I belong. ...but, if were all of you or me. I know what choice I'd make.

But that would be a last resort. I'd fight just as hard to bring us all home.

cw: self destructive behavior

[diplomacycheck]

[For a moment, Allura has no idea what to say. Or how to handle what she is hearing. In the end, she gently but firmly rests a hand on Keith's shoulder, pulling him in for a hug -- sitting on a tree branch be damned; she'll keep them both from losing their balance if she has to.

And, if Lotor ever shows up here, she realizes that she'll have to thank him before punching him across the island. If he hadn't shown up when he did... The thought earns a bitter and torn smile, hidden save from Keith's light.]

I think you'll find that several of us would make the same choice. [She says quietly before admitting:] I know I would. In fact, we all have in a sense. Even if you only chose Lance to escape because you didn't want to be stuck him in an all-knowing entity's games for the rest of eternity.

You will always belong. [A confirmation. One she desperately wishes she believed for herself.] No matter how bad a disagreement we have. And we- I'll fight just as hard to ensure we all make it. You, Coran, and the others are all the family I have back in our reality.

cw: self destructive behavior

[thermalwind]

[He starts at Allura’s hand on his shoulder. He hadn’t expected that. Seconds after the shock of the touch registers he feels like a fool. Of course she wants to touch him. Of course he would allow it. She pulls him in and he goes with it. Keith shifts to make sure they don’t fall off the tree branch as he wraps his arm around her.

He can feel his Light’s eyes on him. He ignores him to hold Allura and let her feel that his heart is still beating. He is alive and well. Instead of a cold corpse burnt up in the explosion that he likely would have been caught in had his plan succeed. Shiro has once told him part of leading was listening.

He does just that. He holds her tighter as he notices her shift her wording. This is where he can help. This is what he can do.] I know you will. You’re a Paladin. It’s what we do. You belong to the team, to this family too.

[His words are faintly possessive. She is part of the family he leads. He takes a breath breathing in her scent and that of the forest around them.] We will all protect and save each other.

[His light smiles quietly and touches the side of his face then vanishes. Keith watches him gonand finally gives voice to something.]

...your dad is pretty cool by the way. I like him.

[diplomacycheck]

[Keith really should have expected it. It is rare, but the situation calls for it. That, and... she needs that quiet assurance he's alright.

She already had to hold one dead friend in her arms and as far as she knows, she can't fix that here. She doesn't want to fix that here. So instead, Allura silently promises to try and keep it from happening in the first place as much as the islands allow.]

Not just that, [It's a quiet correction, but an important one.] but the rightful ruler of Altea, and a part of a ruler's duty to her people and allies is to provide for their protection. It does not matter that our planet is gone. We still live on.

[She pulls away slightly, but still rests a hand on his shoulder. It's tearing her up inside that she has no idea where her people are, but that term isn't solely limited to those with Altean blood anymore.] I count you and the others among that, and Ann and Mira.

[For as dense as the latter can be about her own feelings for a certain red paladin. She laughs quietly.] You say that now, while he's just a few decaphoebs older than Shiro in Altean terms. He hasn't quite gotten himself in over his head just yet.

[Not for a lack of trying. She hasn't told those stories yet. She preferred to keep the memory of who she last remembered alive, and now realizes in some small way the disservice of that. A rather teasing glint shines in her eyes.]

I'm beginning to wonder if it is an unspoken trait of Red Paladins.

[Her father is guilty of it. Keith has definitely been guilty of the same, and so has Lance. Three for three.]

[thermalwind]

[He nods. Allura is a future ruler. There will come a day when she and the survivors of Altea come together again. He squeezes her shoulder to reassure her. He'll be there. They all will.

Keith goes with the shift and coughs.] I'm only two to three years younger than Shiro thanks to time...problems.

[So Alfor is a little older than them but about in the same range. Good to know. He mock frowns at her for the remark about Red Paladins. Then decides to just go with it.]

Hey, someone has to be the fire of the party. Why not us. [It's a joke. He leans back against the tree and smiles a bit, closing his eyes.]

Carries over into Black Paladins too.

[diplomacycheck]

[Allura nods slightly, acknowledging what isn't spoken. She knows he will. They all would be and she wouldn't have it any other way.

She smiles a little.] I am aware, but Shiro is still older... and my father even older. [Her smile turns sheepish.] He last recalls me in my toddler phase of development, clinging to his leg and not wanting him to go with the others on a mission.

[It's the most she's said that isn't a story about his tougher choices, or her childhood to any of them. She almost blinks at herself, wondering where it came from.]

Hm, perhaps it is simply a Paladin thing. [Laughing politely, she offers a guilty shrug.] Perhaps it is simply a difference in frequency.

[thermalwind]

[His smile grows wider. Paladins can be pretty reckless and stupid, he won't ever deny that. Keith lets go of her shoulder and lightly taps his knuckles against it.]

Yeah, all of us are like that. Maybe that's one of the requirements of being a Paladin.

[Keith leans back against the tree again looking for once fairly content. It's the most relaxed he's ever been around Allura even around the campfire when he's made his home leaning into Shiro.]

...are things alright between you and your pop? ...mom and I had that kind of gap for a bit. I might be able to help. Or at least listen and understand.

[diplomacycheck]

[Allura blinks twice at the tap, not used to the gesture at all, before her smile reaches her eyes. Progress. She lets her legs cross as they dangle off the side of the branch.

Maybe those fears her shadow brought up were silly, after all... but she won't forget them. They're something she'll keep in mind so as to not backslide.]

Hopefully we won't have any further examples any time soon.

[She'd really, really like if things could stay calm for five minutes. It's been a Week.

Allura tilts her head to the side for a moment. Ah. A different word for father. She makes a mental note of it.]

I think he's starting to realize I'm not so little any longer, but he does not hide his sadness well. We haven't spoken much on the decaphoebs between us, but he is aware that it has been over ten thousand since I've seen him.

[It must run in the family; she doesn't hide it very well, either. Yet the warmth in her gaze supersedes even that.]

But I am glad he is here. Even if he did try to confront a fustercluck on his own.

[thermalwind]

[Some of his worry eases up and he nods. With him and his mother it had been awkward. She had left him. It hasn’t been that way for Alfor and Allura. He visibly and clearly had tried to shield her. Keith nods.]

Yeah he did. Good thing we got to him before that could end badly. I told him what I know about the creatures here.

[He looks up as Ember lands in range nearest tree and sings softly to them. He reaches out and strokes his feathers. The warmth is more than comforting.]

I’m glad you’re here. All of you. It’s nice to have family close. Even if...it’s here. [His Phoenix friend climbs up onto his arm and moves along it to his shoulder then up to the branch above them.]

Ready to head down? Probably should find the others and make sure they’re handling things ok.

[diplomacycheck]

[She won't say it's been without it's awkward moments. He had sent her away against her will. Yet this him hadn't done it yet, and she had his AI for a time to soften the blow. Keith only had his mother's ceremonial blade.]

I'll... admit I used a rather low tactic, myself. To keep him from attacking when he still had that look in his eyes.

[They all know the one. She's had it a few times when her mind was set on something. Allura smiles faintly at Ember's presence. She'd been hearing the distant chuffs of a tiger for the past day or so--Pidge's tigerlily. She never did figure out if she'd given her a name. Maybe she'll ask later.

For now, she glances away slightly. A little smile crossing her lips; embarrassed. Mostly it dawns on her that this is the second time they've separated themselves and hidden together, only for it to be proven silly.] It is, yes.

Let's go. I am worried about my father. He seemed to be avoiding his, too. [Which... does not bode well, with what she's shared of the future.] And Lance. [Considering how well he hides in his denials.]