festivals and mur--ahem, investigations 🎊🔍

[beleos]

COMMUNION WITH YIMA

After given some time for recovery and for Yima to hear reports of what transpired at the Tree of Life last month, a Communion message gently flows through the minds of each Shard-Bearer. They will have to choose to accept this message, and once they do, they will be greeted by Yima’s voice resonating pleasantly in their heads. She first apologizes for their harrowing experience with the Dryad, and that she hadn’t anticipated such a violent reaction from the Tree; she believes that their experiences point to an imbalance within the Tree itself, most likely brought about by the soon-to-come arrival of the Oracles.

She has spoken with Cyrus, and they have jointly decided that an investigation into the matter - and potentially the destruction of the Dryad - may be required to purge its influence from the Tree. Yima requests that any who would willingly seek out the Dryad volunteer to do so and will be outfitted with a ward against any tampering to prevent them from falling into the creature’s clutches a second time. It will take her a bit to fashion enough of these wards - but she anticipates being ready toward the end of the month.

She concludes her message with another heartfelt apology for your suffering, that she would not have sent any into such a situation she believed were truly dangerous. That being said, she takes responsibility for your ordeal and asks that if there is anything she can do in recompense, you have but to ask.

Yima will be available for Communion chatter here!

FESTIVAL OF REMEMBRANCE - HIGHSTORM

Takiltu is a month cycle the natives of Kenos regard with some amount of reverence and a hearty helping of excitement: the first part of the month (November) is spent reflecting on and celebrating the differing cultures and worlds each Kenosian represents. The second part of the month (December) is spent celebrating unity and togetherness, to come together with friends and family, to be kind to others and share in one’s wealth - whether that comes in the form of knowledge, monetary gains, or the exchange of gifts and one’s time.

Each city celebrates differently, the flavor of their festivals a reflection of their people.

In Highstorm, the first thirty days of Takiltu are spent in Remembrance. The city is decorated with string lights, paper lanterns, candles, and torches to illuminate the streets in beautiful colors and shimmering magical illusory shapes. The focal point of the festival takes place in The Court, where the reflecting pool has been especially decorated with arrangements of flowers and lights. Festival stands erected around the Courtyard peddle paper lanterns as well as refreshments, fanciful decorative items, and enchanted jewelry that is said to make one’s recollections of the past temporarily clearer.

The pool itself is the main attraction, here; citizens who approach its waters and gaze into its depths will find its normal abilities to reflect memories enhanced. The images are surreal for their clarity, vivid - and normally, one is requested to look into the eyes of those most precious to them whose souls remain lost, to pay homage to their memory and sacrifices, and to wish them rebirth in the new world to come. A purchased lantern is then lit and sent skyward where it floats into the moonlight, joining the others hovering above.

But this year, there is an addition to the usual fanfare. Emet-Selch has been asked to assist with the festival; as long as he is given permission, he can recreate the memory displayed in the reflecting pool. Yima has granted him a temporary blessing which enhances his natural creation abilities - a gift for their people she is grateful for. Your character can choose what it is they see in the water - whether it’s a place, a person, or the feelings of a certain point and time, he will temporarily recreate it around you. Everyone will be able to see this conjuring and interact with it while it is functional. It will last between 15 to 30 minutes before dissolving into beads of light that slowly trickle skyward before disappearing. You’ll be told to light a lantern, send it adrift, and that this will give peace to the part of you and your Shard that surely aches. But does it…?

Elsewhere in Highstorm, the High Theater has been painstakingly decorated and aglow with magical floating motes of light; the interior has been transformed into something of an Art Gallery. The pieces within are dedications to parts of worlds long gone, as well as the people in them; some are beautifully painted landscapes of exquisite, far-away places beyond the imagination. Some are more mundane and familiar snapshots of life in a home world not too different from your own. There are portraits of families, loved ones, and those the Zenites long for most. This is their time to mourn, to grieve, and to appreciate their pasts - the pasts that will lead them to a brighter future, one day. They must move on into the future, but treasuring that which came before is equally important to them.

Should you touch any of the motes of light that are around the art pieces decorating the Gallery, you will find yourself able to feel, hear, see, and taste a piece of the world the piece represents. Some of these are warm gatherings over a dinner table with family; others are heart-wrenching expressions of loss and bitterness and pain. Be cautious which you choose. Oh, and do be careful not to stand too closely with someone else when you touch one, or one accidentally touches you - the experience is absolutely contagious through Communion.

CELEBRATION OF CHERISHMENT - SPRINGSTAR

While Highstorm’s Festival of Remembrance is a more demure and reflective time, Springstar takes a much different approach to the season. In true Meri nature, the Celebration of Cherishment encapsulates celebrating life in all forms - and that means parties! The Psychagogía is the main hub of excitement considering, but festivities can be found in almost every single district of Springstar. Wherever you go, something is happening and someone is trying to rope you into having a good time.

The city has been decorated with bright and colorful multi-purpose magical ivy-like vines that sprouts buds that bloom over the course of the month into gorgeous flowers. These flowers are considered sacred, and their blooming is a momentous time of joy and good fortune. Each flower is left intact; disturbing one is tantamount to a war crime by the natives, so don’t get observed if you try to pluck one!

The Psychagogía is incredibly lively, teeming with people and events; almost every venue is peddling some kind of ‘Cherishment’ celebratory sale or discount. The first portion of the month includes what the locals call “the meri-ment” (and seem quite chuffed about that pun), in which Kenosians are encouraged to go bar hopping and taste the wide variety of specialty ales and liquor unkegged only around this time of year. Participants are highly encouraged to share stories of their worlds and cultures, to tell those they mingle with tales of the worlds they will one day return to and why they’re special, unique - to celebrate their one-day return.

Alongside this comes a great deal of outdoor grilling, fresh meats and vegetables sending tantalizing scents everywhere you go once the evening hours arrive. Some of these food and drinks can cause… interesting… effects if you consume them in excess, especially at the Emotional Damage - so try to show restraint. It would be a bit embarrassing to find yourself strangely infatuated with the first person you lay eyes on after your fifth night out on the town, or feeling compelled to express warm feelings aloud you wouldn’t normally commit to another. Luckily, it only lasts a short period of time - but beware the wicked hangover afterward. Strangely enough, if you’re suffering, you feel oddly compelled to seek out a little TLC from someone else - someone with whom you might have some unresolved feelings toward, positive or negative. Is it longing? Anger? Jealousy? Unspoken affections? Love? Whatever it is, you're more likely to seek them out for some care.

At the Coliseum, nightly brawls between Meris take place and the usual assortment of monsters are temporarily taken out of offer. This part of the festivities is one where each Kenosian is encouraged to settle any differences or misgivings with others and to get it out of their system, cleansing them of bad mojo - “leave it in the ring,” as it were. Despite beating each other bloody at times, most combatants willingly stop before it gets too serious and fighting to the death is not permitted. You must embrace your adversary before you leave, and your ‘bad blood’ will be considered purged and settled so you can start anew.

The Empório district is celebrating consumerism, because of course it is! All the usual goods are on a considerable discount, and for a brief time, gardening tools and supplies are free! The reason for this is that Springstar’s citizens are encouraged to plant one seedling in the gardens in Katoikitikós once the flowers lining the city have gone into full bloom. It is said this honors gods across cultures and time as well as invites good fortune. You are encouraged to plant a seedling in a group or pairing, as space is limited - and there are superstitions regarding this togetherness resulting in more favorable results. Should you plant a seedling with someone else, you might indeed find that something is beginning to blossom between you… Based on your Aspects, you might find yourselves feeling closer and more connected - or repulsed depending on your compatibility. This effect will last through the month after planting. Should you check on the seedling later, its health will be reflected in the state of your relationship. Friends will find the little plant thriving; enemies will find it is sickly and dying.

For those Shard-Bearers who have already harmonized with the Meridian or who have quarters in Heliopolis, you will find the communal meals much more lavish and indulgent than usual. There may even be a taste of home waiting for you among the spreads on offer, or some comfort food you haven’t had in a while. It is encouraged to share anything to your taste - or even to share why it is meaningful to you via Communion. Or you can just eat. You do you, man.

Once the flowers have bloomed and the festivities reach their peak, one might find the city loud and boisterous and sleep a little more difficult to come by. Springstar is absolutely thriving and alive - and you, too, feel more invigorated and energetic despite any lack of zzz’s. Should you leave the city, however, this effect will vanish and you might find yourself unnaturally fatigued and in need of more rest than is customary. Returning to Springstar will slowly build up your stamina again. This effect lasts until the end of the month.

THE MYSTERY OF ALENROUX

Once celebrations are in full-swing in the cities, some characters (i.e., any characters that choose to participate in this prompt) will be contacted by Cyrus or Yima, depending on their faction or whichever they feel a stronger inclination towards if they are currently Unharmonized. Both will explain that there’s something that they’d like you to investigate, but also to prepare and be careful, since this request doesn’t come without danger… A Shard has been lost in Alenroux, and they both hope you’ll be able to retrieve it.

MERIDIAN

“I’ve gotten word that a Zenith Shard-Bearer was sent to Alenroux a little bit before you arrived, and they haven’t come back yet. Normally, none of our business, but based on what some of the farmers have been saying, I think they’ve gotten hit by Discord. If it gets high enough, well… You don’t really have your mind anymore. We can help them through Purification. Even if it’s just for long enough to calm them down, it’s better than them being trapped in madness. It might be easier to dissipate them first, though, then Purify their Shard. They were last seen heading to the Northern forests. Let me know what I can give you to help, and make sure to help each other. Good luck.”

ZENITH

"Please heed my request, though I do not ask this of you lightly... One of the Zenith's children has been lost among the fields of Alenroux come nightfall and I fear the worst has befallen them. There are dangerous elements attracted to the presence of a soul, and the likelihood our brethren has been lost... it is great. Seek out the Shard - and if you are able to retrieve it, please do so. If it has suffered corruption too great to be saved or would place you in too great a danger to take back, then... I trust you to make the merciful choice. I place this in your hands and will give you whatever you require to see it through. Look out for your fellow Zenith and work together, as I do not want to lose more of you. Be well."

Both factions will offer their recruits access to standard weaponry and armor/protective clothing. If a character asks for more, they’ll be given a weapon or a piece of armor with minor magical properties which would normally cost 1 AC token to purchase. Magical weapons are on loan however. If your character takes these and/or chooses to keep it, please note this in your Committed Actions! If they choose to keep standard weaponry, Cyrus/Yima will just be disappointed in your dishonesty. :(

When you arrive during the day cycle, you’ll also find horses and magic hoverboards to use (they go the same speed tbh), because heading North to the forests is a bit of a trek, and you might not make it there in time on foot! As the sun starts to set, you’ll see the people in Alenroux start to leave, going clearly your opposite direction. Once night falls (Nov. 9th OOC), it doesn’t take long for things to change.

There’s just a sliver of a crescent moon in the sky, which makes the rolling hills and forests much more ominous than they were during the day. And as the stories say, it only takes an hour or two before you start to run into strange creatures. Closer to the Cornerstone, there are indeed strange creatures, and while they may not all look scary, they might present different kinds of dangers such as…

• A light in the dark looks like a fairy, but stare at it too long and you’ll find yourself hypnotized by a ghastly fish will lead you to a body of water to drown you.
• An innocuous puddle may form up into a mass of corrosive goo, complete with the bones and items of the last person it came across. When you slice it, it simply creates a copy of itself, so hopefully you realize this before you’re surrounded.
• A strange straw poppet (sans pins, of course) that possesses you once you touch it and will use your body to try and fight anyone else while your consciousness is trapped inside the doll. To be freed, you only have to destroy the doll, but you’ll feel the pain of how its destroyed even if you don’t bear any injuries from it.

However, as you get closer to the Northern forests, they become significantly more fearsome…

• With a roar, a massive, multiheaded beast descends, and each of its mouths is perfectly capable of taking a bite out of you. Watch out for the snake’s head in particular, since its venom will cause you to hallucinate your worst fears.
• As you come face to face with an odd creature, bioluminescence lights up on its skin, and the spins on its back quiver with a sound like a rattlesnake’s. As the spines quiver, you find it exceptionally difficult to take your eyes off them and move as it stalks closer slowly. You can fight blind, right?
• Diving in and out of larger shadows like its water is a slimy beast that’s incredibly fast. Its teeth may be small, but its tail is a razor-sharp whip that could remove a limb if you’re not careful.

These are just examples, however. There are many creatures lurking the wilds of Alenroux, so feel free to create your own monsters with unique effects.

It's a difficult trek North, and you may be tired from hours of running, fighting, or both… But eventually, a few people do find what they were looking for. They might have even missed it, if not for how their Shards suddenly felt like they were burning. From the shadows, a twisted creature of roots and lights which what looks like many crystals in a glowing mass appears and one of its eyes locks on you. It looks like now is your chance.

NOTES

Weather summary for the first 30 days of Takiltu (NOV & DEC):

Highstorm is in late fall, early winter season. Some flurries may occasionally fall and it is getting considerably cold out there! Bundle up!

Springstar is in the throes of early summer; the weather is climate and pleasantly warm for outdoor celebrations (but not sweltering). There are occasional afternoon showers, but they don’t last very long.

Notable city changes:

If you wander the Markets in Highstorm, you might notice some of the peddlers seem a bit wary of you. Hm, guess something happened around here! Probably totally unrelated, but Silco and Vander (or anyone with them) will be treated with nervous suspicion.

Similarly, if you're traveling with Set (or you're Set) in Springstar, you might occasionally find yourself getting strange looks. Ask Set why.

Faction updates:

There are no explicit changes in faction behavior at this time. This will be a staple in all future event write-ups to catalogue the fluidity of the conflict as it progresses, though, so we're including it here for posterity!

Event Notes:

The Reflecting Pool in the Courts of Highstorm can be observed normally with no addtional effects or can bring your memory to vivid life thanks to the help of Emet-Selch (and Yima). If you grant him permission (which can be handwaved), he will breathe life into whichever memory you have chosen to view! If this includes any NPC’s or interactive elements, you will be responsible for playing them out in any tags until they disappear. Please see Emet’s toplevel for any interactions you’d like to thread out with him as a part of this.

For the Gallery in Highstorm, the art depicted in and scenes experienced through the pieces are up to you to create! Feel free to go wild with any associated NPC's in the scene and worldbuild as you see fit. Highstorm holds a variety of citizens from across the multiverse, so you could feasibly go fantastical places, or experience something distinctly profound and beyond your imagination...

The drinks and refreshments in Springstar can be enchanted in just about any way you’d like, including bringing upon minor physical changes of the cute, fun, and flirty variety! Feel free to get creative (as long as you get permission from your thread partner), the Meris would also merrily insist growing extra fluffy, scaly, etc bits during the celebration will only help you party harder! 🥳

As reminders for Alenroux, once night falls, a character is not able to leave until sunrise, which is 24 hours later. If your character is dissipated, you can have a PC retrieve their Shard or the respective Faction they're allied with will send out a search party to find it. Remember to report character deaths!

CODING

Comments

[gravings]

[ Gray blinks at Amos's nudge, but dutifully takes the pamphlet and gives it a glance over. While she's reading, she misses Amos's scoping, but she'll automatically follow once he starts moving. Which they probably should do soon, as there's a lovey dovey couple on the side eyeing the same spot... ]

Um... It says that by planting seedlings with other people, we honor the gods across worlds. It's said that the closer we are, the better our seedling will do.

[ She figures that gods from other worlds won't care about what the people in this world do — if they could even possibly look across worlds — so it feels about as meaningful as praying to Santa Claus to Gray. But hey, when in Rome. ]

[baltimores]

[ Oh yeah, he's locked eyes with that couple, and has already started picking up his pace, striding forward with a bit more purpose while still making sure he doesn't completely abandon Gray. Listen, he saw that spot first, it's theirs. ]

The gods?

[ There's a healthy skepticism in his voice. He doesn't really get it either — no such thing, or if there are, they're probably assholes. Either way, it doesn't matter; he isn't doing this to honour anybody. (He didn't know he was going to be doing this at all until a few minutes ago—)

It's the second part that has his attention. He looks over his shoulder and back at Gray for a second, slowing down a little as he does so. ]

We're close though, yeah? [ Okay, so this is maybe their first time seeing each other in a little while, but what's a little time apart whenever you're reassuring someone about a horrific mission or letting them lead you through a crowd. ] Gonna have to come back to check on it. It'll probably be doing really well.

[ Why wouldn't it be?? ]

[gravings]

[ She doesn't bother trying to challenge his skepticism because she agrees with it. But she does laugh a little at his confidence in their seedling, though in small-scale Gray fashion, it's more of a quiet giggle. She agrees there too, but it's refreshing to talk to someone so open and straightforward about getting along with her. For some reason she's come to know a lot of guarded people, to the point where it's hard to say if they or Amos are the abnormal ones. But she likes Amos just as he is, so she'll put in hope to match his confidence for their little mystery plant. ]

I think so too. I'll be sure to come back and water... oh.

[ She cuts herself off as she catches sudden movement. One half of the lovey dovey couple has seen Amos beelining for the spot they were eyeing and balked, probably at the fact that Amos is a substantial-seeming man (despite his height); the other half of the couple, the bigger and luckier-feeling one, has begun to shamelessly book it for the contested spot. ]

[baltimores]

[ He smiles a little at her giggle. It's a nice sound, just knowing that she's happy. His smile broadens at her agreement, at the knowledge that at least one of them will be around to take care of it—

But then he looks back up, and oh, that other guy's really booking it, huh. Amos has to weigh his options, and fast: he can either go into a full-on charge himself, probably clothesline the guy or chuck them to another part of the gardens entirely, or... just let them have it, and not make a scene while he and Gray are having a good time.

It's a pretty easy decision. Amos comes to a stop, shrugging it off. ]

Eh, they want it so bad, they can have it. [ His smile turns apologetic as he looks back down at Gray, at their plant... they've still gotta find somewhere for it, or else they aren't gonna have anything to water at all.

He casts his gaze upwards again, looking around; but shit, it's crowded, and that first spot he saw is definitely claimed by now. ]

You see anywhere else that's good? I dunno what fighting with guys'll do for our plant, and I don't really wanna find out. [ Because he'll win. And maybe start an international incident, and he's trying to be a responsible plant parent here, so, no.

Under his breath, ] There's gotta be somewhere around here...

[gravings]

[ Even though he concedes with a smile, she can see in his moment of hesitation that he had second thoughts about doing so. Maybe he's secretly competitive — or maybe he just wanted a nice spot for their plant, which if so somehow manages to be both silly and sweet. It makes her think it might have been worth fighting that couple, but Amos probably made the wiser choice in the end. She smiles in return, maybe more to support him than anything. ]

It's okay. We'll find a better place.

[ She's more motivated to find one now, if only so Amos won't come away disappointed. She joins him in looking out over the garden, chewing on what they have to work with. It suddenly seems like a much more important decision than it was one minute ago. The crowd is mostly around the fountain and the seedling supply station, so she looks the other way. ]

It might be better somewhere quieter in the end. When everyone comes back to look at their flowers, they'll probably end up stepping on everyone else's flowers.

[ People are selfish, so all you can really do is plan around their selfishness. Maybe Gray's passive, stranger-wary ways are coming too much into play, but in this case she doesn't feel she's wrong. She starts walking away from the noise, looking for anyplace that seems sufficiently out of the way but still friendly for a baby plant. ]

[baltimores]

[ He nods, a little absently, at the thought of finding a better place. Yeah, but that first place was pretty good...

Somewhere quieter has him blinking at first, but Gray's explanation makes sense. Sure, there's safety in numbers, but those numbers might actually attract the wrong sort of attention for plant life. He's new to this, but he remembers Gray having said something about living out in the country, so she definitely knows better than him. ]

Yeah. [ And he'll readily vocalize his confidence in her that she knows better, that he's ready to follow her lead. He turns to look farther out, towards the edges of where everyone is gathered. ] Should we try going where there isn't really anyone around? Maybe someone missed a spot out there that'll work.

[ As far as he can tell, it'll either be that or literally fighting someone else for a spot. And since it doesn't really seem like anybody here is doing any fighting, he's more and more sure that's something he wants to avoid... But if he's gotta... ]

[gravings]

I bet you're right.

[ She starts them off, letting a vague instinct guide her. If she were a flower, where would she want to live? ... On a windowsill in a nice quiet house, probably, but that might defeat the spirit of the tradition.

After some wandering, she thinks she's found a spot: a small island of grass between benches and walkways, largely nondescript except for a biggish rock that might also be described as a baby boulder. No one else has planted their flower in this small grass oasis, possibly because it's ringed by a low fence that would seem to imply that no one should be walking there, but since there's no "KEEP OFF THE GRASS" sign, Gray figures there are no hard rules here. She steps over the fence and stoops next to the biggish rock/baby boulder. ]

How about here?

[baltimores]

[ He's right behind her, looking around as they go, but without much of an eye for things. Everywhere looks full, or inhospitable, or dangerous...

Oh, huh. He wouldn't have thought about the space Gray has spotted at all — would have walked right past it, actually, because of the boulder. Surely that'd mean there's no place for a new plant there — but she seems confident in it.

He follows her over the fence, looking down at her, at the boulder, seedling still safe in his hands. ]

Next to the boulder? [ If she thinks it'll work, then yeah, they could do that. Or... ] Do you think it'll help protect it, or should we move it?

[ Would the boulder get in the way of the plant's growth? Inhibit it? Or keep it safe from any elements and/or people?? Hell if he knows, but Gray probably will. ]

[gravings]

It should be okay... I think. There were a lot of boulders where I grew up, but flowers still grew around them.

[ Maybe those were flowers adapted to that terrain... but it's not like they know what kind of seedling they have now, so it's a bit pointless to guess at what its special needs will be. Besides, she likes the idea of it having a friendly neighbor to keep it company. Gray isn't so sentimental that she thinks a rock or flower could feel loneliness, but it puts her a little more at ease to picture them together.

And now I'm going to say that there's a little trowel stuck in the soil of the seedling's pot so that they don't have to run for one. Gray delicately extracts it so that she can begin to dig up a spot a couple feet away from the boulder. ]

Did you keep plants when you were in space, Mr. Amos?

[ Spaceships have to get their oxygen from somewhere, right?? She's never taken a chemistry class, she doesn't know how these things work. ]

[baltimores]

[ Amos crouches down as Gray gets to work, watching her dig through the soil as he continues to cradle the seedling in his hands. It's up to him to keep it safe until they can plant it, right? He can kinda get it, watching her right next to the boulder — that's his role right now. Which maybe makes Gray the seedling he has to look after— Nah, that's probably stupid. He's thinking about it too much.

He can still offer her a fond little smile at her question, though. ]

Yeah. They helped keep the air clean. Had a friend who was a botanist that helped show me some good ones to plant and a good way to plant 'em. I rigged up some panels for them; we were probably the greenest ship I'd ever been on thanks to him.

[ There's an unmistakeable fondness in his voice, thinking about an old friend — a now long-dead friend, but oh well, what can you do — again. Amos moves to actually sit on the ground, watching as the hole gets bigger. ]

Plants really can grow anywhere, huh? as long as they got what they need. There's dirt, there's air, there's sun... just gonna need water.

[gravings]

[ It really is comforting to think that life in space has some of the same constants as on Earth. Digging holes invariably reminds her of digging graves, but sometimes it's to nurture life instead of sending it off; that remains the same no matter where you are, just as Amos says. She wonders if they'll ever be whisked away to someplace so foreign that plants don't grow in the soil.

Given the smallness of their seedling, it doesn't take long for her to finish digging out a tidy, expertly shaped hole. She sits back, waiting for Amos to do the honors. ]

In your world... did anyone ever meet aliens?

[ Pressing space questions... ]

[baltimores]

[ Gray really, really knows what she's doing. He shifts over to the hole she's made, gently lowering their seedling — now free of its earlier pot — down into it. He talks as he places it in, using his hands to start to bring the soil back to it to fill the rest of the hole back in. ]

Yes and no. We met their tech. The aliens who used it were long dead, though. And the tech had a habit of killing people, so that wasn't great.

[ He's nonchalant in his words, but not his actions as he finishes up, pulls back so Gray can give a final inspection. They're just making conversation now, but they've also really gotta make sure this plant makes it. ]

It talked to Cap though. The tech. Or the dead aliens through the tech. I'm not exactly sure which; whole thing was weird. I don't think anyone really understood it. Pretty sure anyone who thought they did was just some asshole.

[ And not the regular kind of asshole, like he is; more the self-important pompous douchebag type. There's a hint of disdain in his voice at the idea before it fades away. ]

Guess it don't matter now, though. [ Because everyone is dead. He glances down at their seedling. ] So, how do you think we did?

[ Because he isn't the kind of asshole to go around acting like he knows things when he doesn't. Gray's definitely the plant expert, not him. ]

[gravings]

[ He says it doesn't matter now, which is true, but Gray's curiosity remains. One would think that after spending multiple months with people from other worlds, she'd be completely jaded about other life forms, but there's something still tantalizing about the idea of aliens. The Shard-Bearers who get pulled here are technically aliens to her, but they're not her aliens. Amos doesn't seem at all interested in speaking further on the topic, so she reluctantly moves along. ]

I think it's perfect.

[ Not just lip service; their little plant looks perfectly situated to her amateur eye, the soil pulled over it like a cozy earthen blanket. If she were a flower, she thinks she'd be happy in this spot. She smiles, painting the image into her memory. ]

It'll definitely grow into something pretty and strong.

[baltimores]

[ Amos doesn't pick up on any of that reluctance — he really had told her about all he'd known. At the same time, nobody should accuse him of being a good storyteller.

Instead, he just looks up at Gray when she speaks, then back down to the seedling at her assessment, small smile on his face unknowingly matching Gray's. ]

Good. [ Because, well, it is good. ] Gonna have to come back to keep track of it. Help it out, if it needs it.

[ He sits back, on the ground, looking up and around at the area they've chosen. It is relatively quiet and pleasantly secluded compared to just about everywhere else; an easy spot to come back to. Amos is happy to just soak up that atmosphere for a moment before turning back to Gray. ]

'm really glad I ran into you again.

[ Because it had been a while. And planting something new? Wouldn't have been his first thought, but it was something good for them to do, too. ]

[gravings]

[ As always, Amos speaks so honestly. It's part of why he's so likable, and why she can feel so comfortable talking to him as if they hadn't had their lives uprooted since the last time they spoke.

She's lucky to still have these few familiar connections. Even as she grasps for what she ought to do for her own sake, it's difficult not to turn her mind back off and follow wherever her friends will take her. People like Amos have never felt closer; her loved ones from home have never felt farther. The lone flower in front of her with its promise of new life looks just as much like a freshly laid grave.

She blinks back the heat in her eyes, ever the crybaby. ]

I'm glad too.

[ Whatever the future holds and whatever happened before, that fact is true. She's glad to have met Amos and still have him to talk to when there are so many others now out of her reach. When she distills that feeling into its purest form, it's as if her body becomes possessed; she leans the gap between them to give Amos a clumsy hug that's more like a controlled drape, soft but complete all at once. ]

[baltimores]

[ He blinks down as she leans into him, drapes herself over him, and after a moment, exhales a breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding.

He moves on from people pretty easily. They're no longer in his life, then it's whatever. That doesn't mean he won't fight like hell for them when he has them; it just means it's easy to move on.

But he doesn't have to move on from Gray, and that's good. That's undeniably good. He has no doubt in her ability to look after herself; when they'd first met she'd been the one looking out for him, after all. But she's also just so much younger, and that weighs on him more. Because she shouldn't be put in any tough positions. Shouldn't have to do anything she doesn't want to. Should have the chance to just be a kid, and maybe she can have that here.

Amos slowly, wordlessly brings his arm up around her, pulling her in that little bit more. Securing her in place. Giving her someone sturdy to lean on, for as long as she needs. Warm, too, he hopes. Comforting. Reliable.

As long as she wants it; as long as she needs it. This is one of the few things he's actually good at, after all. He can't squander that — not on her. ]

[gravings]

[ Even if Gray is shy, she's emotional too, and in times like these her emotions kick down the walls of self-restraint and self-consciousness both. When she finally undrapes herself from Amos with a reflexive swipe at her eyes, she shows no signs of embarrassment. She's probably a little too used to being an open book.

But Amos seems like he doesn't mind, and he even gave her a very nice and warm hug, so she gives him a grateful smile that's slight like she is, her warmth instead pooling in her eyes. ]

Thank you for coming along with me. If there's somewhere you need to be, I can take everything back...

[ The trowel, the pot. ]

[baltimores]

[ Her smile, her sentiment mean the world to him, and it's all he can do but do his best to reflect it back at her — slight smile, kind (if blackened) eyes. One last little warm, friendly squeeze before he breaks the hug. ]

Yeah. I think I gotta be heading back to Highstorm soon; discord's starting to make me a little cagey. [ And he doesn't want to let its effects start acting up around Gray, where the discomfort starting to settle in is only gonna make him shitty to be around.

He's still okay for now, though. His voice is still warm, filled with a fondness reserved for just a few people, and she's one of them. ] Thanks for having me. And for taking the stuff back. We should meet up here again sometime, see how well the plant's doing.

[ It's gonna be doing great, right? Because they get along great, simple as that. ]