EVENT LOG: GRAVES

[inthenightmods]

EVENT LOG:
GRAVES

characters: everyone.
location: Bonfire Square.
date/time: July 12-19.
content: mysterious shrines appear and bring visions of death.
warnings: likely violence and potentially gore.

time to pay your respects.

It happens when no one is looking, when most of the town is asleep and the rest are inside. A makeshift cemetery has come to Beacon, taking up residence in the middle of Bonfire Square. Each monument, shrine, and altar is dedicated to someone who now resides here, a memorial of their previous life.

Some may be drawn by curiosity, others by fear, and some may simply have to pass through this strange graveyard to get to the Bonfire itself. Whenever a person gets near, the altars beckon with a mysterious urge— an urge to approach, and an urge to leave something behind. They will feel compelled to make offerings at the various shrines, but doing so has a curious effect; it causes one to experience the death of the person whose grave they've honored.

Whether you resist the compulsion or give in willingly (or something in between), you'll also have to wrestle with the fact that a grave exists for you. Will you let your death be known, or try your best to keep it secret? Destroying it sure won't work, as it will return— with a duplicate somewhere else in town.

However you choose to deal with this, one thing is hard to ignore— this a tangible reminder of your death, and the fact that it's probably permanent.

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Comments

[evocation]

[She nods, running her fingers through his hair as she stands.]

I'll be right back.

[And so she wanders off to the shops. It doesn't take very long, and when she returns she sets the paper in his lap. It's just plain white, but it's well made and sturdy enough to hold a crisp fold, at least.]

[hardwearing]

[ She gets a smile upon her return, faint but genuine. The plate she left is about half finished, but he sets it aside to pick up a sheet of paper instead. ]

The little five pointed ones are okay?

[evocation]

[She grins back, plopping down and snuggling close, trying to ignore the inescapable anxiety she's feeling.]

Yeah, of course it is.

[hardwearing]

[ Wash lets her cuddle against his side before he starts folding, but he can sense her tension. ]

You can change your mind, you know. I learned my lesson that not everything is about what I think is best... if you don't want me to, I won't. No explanation needed.

[evocation]

[It's nice to hear him say it, but she shakes her head before burying her face in his shoulder.]

No, it's okay.

[hardwearing]

You sure? You can still have some flowers.

[ He bows his head to press another kiss to her hair, then keeps folding. Even if they wind up not using it, it's a good outlet for his nervous energy. Sometimes he feels like he picked up fidgeting from Kyna, but it's probably just that he's not in armor all the time anymore. Being encased in metal does kind of curb that. ]

Did you see any art supplies in the store? Paint or markers or whatever?

[evocation]

[He probably did pick up fidgeting from her, honestly. They've picked up a lot of each other's habits.]

Yeah. Not a ton, but there's some. Are you gonna teach me how to make those?

[hardwearing]

[ Their situation sucks, but the question makes Wash smile anyway. Of course he will. ]

I'll always teach you whatever you want to learn. Now?

[evocation]

[She shakes her head, nestling closer.]

Later?

[She just wants to get this over with, and she knows they'll need something to distract them after.]

[hardwearing]

Okay.

[ For a lack of glue, the flower he makes her is a little different than the painted ones he gifted her with in Hadriel. It's a small five petal lily, that he completes and holds up for her to see. ]

Ready when you are.

[evocation]

[Kyna can't help but smile when she sees the little lily. It's sweet. This is going to suck, but they'll be okay.]

I'm ready. Lead the way?

[hardwearing]

[ Wash nods, setting the extra paper down beside his half eaten plate, hoping that it's clear enough to passerby that he's coming back so they shouldn't leave anything... maybe it'll work, maybe it won't, this is more important to him. He stands and helps Kyna up, then wraps his arm around her shoulders and guides her towards her own grave. Which is surreal, honestly, but it's what they're doing. Maybe the contact won't make it feel as much like a death march.

When they get there he hesitates, coming to a stop just beside the slight rise of earth, lifting his free hand holding the flower. ]

Guess I'll be right back.

[evocation]

[Despite his best efforts, it still does feel that way, and she can't help it if her hand clutches the back of his shirt just a bit too tightly. For one paranoid moment, she wonders if his offering will count for both of them, and if she'll have to relive her own death—but then she stamps that fear down, keeping her arm looped around him. Staying is more important than the possibility of that.]

I'll be right here.

[hardwearing]

[ Here goes nothing, then. Wash extends his arm and drops the paper flower, watches it spin in the air as it falls onto her grave and embeds its little twisted stem in the soft dirt. Almost instantly, Beacon fades away.

At least it only affects him and he's back fairly quickly, swaying on his feet and gripping Kyna's shoulder as he finds his balance again.

That was horrible. Just like he'd known it would be. But he can handle pain and it's also like a weight's lifted from him in some ways. She wasn't upset that he wasn't at her side, just worried he'd see... which sucks because he did, even before this moment, but he can't change that. It was all just like she'd told him, she didn't blame anyone for it, and maybe he's a jerk for not being able to fully believe that without feeling it for himself but the fact is he blamed himself so much it overshadowed everything.

It's really not about him at all, in the end, and shouldn't be. Maybe he can get past his own guilt now, and just help her deal. He turns towards Kyna and wraps his other arm around her, too, cradling her head. ]

I love you more than anything, you know that, right?

[evocation]

[Kyna blinks when he pulls her toward him, too surprised to react for a second. There was a part of her that expected him to pull in on himself more while he dealt with seeing it, but... Honestly, she's glad he isn't. Kyna buries her face in his shoulder, sighing out, feeling that strange tension lift.]

I know. I love you, too. Did it... Did it help?

[hardwearing]

I think... it did, yeah. To know for sure.

[ There is one thing, though, that he has to admit even if she never makes an offering at his grave to experience it for herself. He lowers his voice, sounding almost guilty. ]

I did see you, though. I know now you didn't want me to... I couldn't get there in time but I saw, I'm sorry.

[evocation]

Oh.

[She says it softly, voice tense. Somehow, she had a feeling, even if she hadn't known for sure. He'd been so close, there was just too high a chance.]

Fuck, I'm sorry.

[Kyna leans up to loop her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer.]

Why didn't you tell me?

[hardwearing]

I didn't see the point? You didn't ask, I thought mentioning it would've just unnecessarily upset you. But knowing now that it was important, I figured you should know. Especially if you wind up giving in and leaving something at my grave.

[ He wouldn't blame her for it, the compulsion can get undeniable. She should know what she's in for, though. ]

[evocation]

I'm not going to.

[She'd rather just ask him. Seeing it feels somehow invasive in a way she can't quite articulate.]

Can't I just give you things on my own?

[hardwearing]

Okay.

[ If she's determined to fight it, she probably can, Wash thinks. Kyna can do anything she puts her mind to. He smiles faintly at her question, instead. ]

If you want, sure. How come you're always the one giving me presents?

[evocation]

You deserve it.

[She pulls away, just enough to latch onto his arm and tug him away from her grave.]

Can we just... get away from these things now?

[hardwearing]

[ Wash hesitates, not really ready to stop guarding his, but... Kyna's more important, frankly. ]

If you want. Did you have something in mind?

[evocation]

Um... There's not really many places to go. Can we just... hang out for a little while?

[She's feeling clingy.]

[hardwearing]

Sure. Back to the inn?

[evocation]

[She nods, pressing into his side.]

Are you sure you're okay?