EVENT LOG: A GIRL, A BOY, AND A GRAVEYARD

[nextnightmods]

EVENT LOG:
A GIRL, A BOY, AND A GRAVEYARD

characters: everyone.
location: Helix Station; Solis Labs; Bonfire Square
date/time: February 14-22
content: Preparations are underway for what may be Beacon's final battle, while remaining forest spirits do their best to spread love and cheer. See details here.
warnings: n/a, mark threads as needed

Much remains to be done, and time is of the essence. Somewhere in the darkness to the east, Beacon's greatest threat to its remaining life moves. Will you be ready when the time comes? Will you have made time to let those around you know how much this second shot at life has meant?

helix station

Weaver bounces from group to group, checking in on people. "Anything you need help with? Let me know," she offers - whether that's a hand to hold some part you're trying to weld, or assistance operating the portal to pull in some specialty materials.

You have all the station's resources at your disposal, and backup and escape plans to make. Which is the priority, though? Is it something you even all agree on?

And what is that low, barely-audible buzzing drone? It pulses in and out of detection, settling into your skull. The station's machinery keeping the heat on and the air moving have their own constant drone, but this is different.

Feel free to address Weaver in your replies if you like. Note that any remaining spirits in the station (such as the large one wearing corpses, or any that might have turned up later) have become less-predictable and prone to lashing out in aggression when they're not trying to hide from you.

solis labs

Clara busily retrieves documents and samples as any are requested. While she doesn't know how to work a computer, she does generally understand the file system and is eager to point you to where you might read up on previous portal and lantern tests, find coordinates for worlds that might host key materials, or just enjoy some vintage poetry in the library upstairs.

A pair of badger-like spirits snuffles through the labs, eyeing you and your friends nervously. They don't seem much interested in conversation, but they will stick their noses in anything - your drinks, your sleeve, your ear if you're not careful, and their noses are cold.

If two or more people head outside together for a few minutes, they'll hear a stilted growl and a flash of green eyes in the trees - and then an attempt at a word.

h̶͈͝ẻ̴̢̛͖l̷̛̜̝̉p̴̓͝ͅ

Note that as stated on the ooc post, engaging with the green-eyed spirit carries the risk of violence and death, as always. Do so at your own risk.

stick by me and i will stick by you

There may be defenses to be built, weapons handling to teach to those few remaining who want to learn to defend themselves better, and general plans to make. When the World Eater arrives, who will be on the front lines to try and delay it while the bomb is made ready? Who will defend the rest from any spirits bent on following its instructions to slaughter every one of you? If things go south, how will you make your way to a portal to escape, and who will operate it?

Meanwhile, spirits hand out their cookies with chirps of encouragement. It's not all doom and gloom, they insist - they believe in you! And they want you all to believe in each other, to feel a little lighter and happier, if only just for a short time. The messages on their heart-shaped cookies (the whole candy heart concept didn't quite land right, it seems) are all a little odd and who knows what they do, but it all seems to be in good fun.

Feel free to decide for yourselves what the heart effects are, how long they last, if you can have more than one at a time - so long as they generally follow the ideas on the details post.

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Comments

[nextnightmods]

[Pudding steps forward and the gesturing hand comes down fast - onto the ground. The creature stands stock-still for a moment, as tense as a coiled spring.

It speaks again, guttural and jumbled, less focused on being understood as that masked face remains fixated on Pudding even though the speech more directly addresses Cao Pi's response.]

D̶̮͖̈a̷̛̝͋n̷̺̎̚g̴̠̯͒̐e̸͈͆́r̸̳͔̆ò̸̤̔ȕ̶̧̱s̶͈͈̋͑ ̶͓͓̿̓t̶̡͘h̵̠̓͌i̵̗͝s̵̺̎͆

I̷t̶ ̵g̴r̶o̷w̶s̶,̸ ̶i̵t̷ ̷d̸e̷m̸a̸n̵d̴s̴

̵i̸t̵ ̴w̶i̶l̴l̸ ̸f̵i̴n̷d̴ ̶y̶o̸u̴ ̶w̵h̴e̷n̷ ̶y̵o̵u̶ ̶a̸r̴e̸ ̴w̸e̷a̴k̶ ̷a̷n̵d̴ ̶t̵h̷e̴y̶ ̵w̴i̶l̷l̶ ̸a̶l̶l̶s̴̥͉̞̄i̴̥̟̗̍̂n̵̛̗͓͖̈́̊k̴̻̻̯͋ ̶̃̄͂͜t̶͙̣͎̊̀̇e̷̼̩͊͑͂é̴̯́ţ̵̬̏̿h̸̥̳͕̾́ ̴̧̛̯͉̆͛ì̸̘͈͒ṇ̸̮̠̐͊̑ṭ̵̹̽̈̚ó̵͉͋ ̷̖͔͒f̸͕̉̓̀l̴̳̆̎̽e̸̍͗͘͜s̶̤̠̋͛ḣ̵̰͉̊̌͜ ̸͚̼̮͂͆͘a̷̠͇̍͋̊ņ̶̙̱̒ḍ̴̐̾͆ ̴̪̪͔͂n̷͔̼͎̾͑̕o̴͎͗t̷̼͕͆̑̇ḧ̶̼͙͓́̏̐ị̴̠͗̾͛ń̶̻͎̾͐g̷̥͍̘͗̕ ̴͉͗̀y̶̼̏̾͘o̷̘̼͒̋ų̶̟̩̔ ̷̢̠̼̅̀d̴͚͗ȯ̶̢̪͈͘̕ ̴̖̥̮̕̕ẘ̸̫̻̦ḯ̸̙͝͝l̵̻̂̿l̵̡̠̈́ ̷͕̿̚i̵̖͛͑ẗ̶̗̘́ ̵̤̅̐͗s̴͈̊̈́̌ẗ̵̨́̊o̵͖͌̿p̸̠̬̽̾

̶͕̦̱͍͇͖͌̊̿̓̔̿͒͆͛̕B̷̫͇͗̿Ů̶̢̨̗̱͍̲͎̜̫̘͔̯͚͑̒͜T̶̛͚̪̣̹̭̫̂̂̈́͊͝ͅ

̷s̶o̵m̸e̷ ̷o̵f̷ ̷u̴s̷ ̵d̵o̸ ̶n̷o̸t̸ ̴h̷e̴e̷d̴ ̴t̷h̶i̵s̵ ̴d̵e̷m̴a̵n̷d̵,̵ ̷w̵i̷l̵l̶ ̷n̸o̷t̶ ̵s̷i̵n̶g̵ ̸e̶y̵e̶s̷b̶͔̈ĺ̶̥o̵̙̿o̴̧̓d̵̹͘-̵̯̋s̷͒͜ơ̴͇ṇ̸͒g̶͈̉

̶̨͂m̷͚̎a̷̰̾n̵̖̐y̸̬̿-̶͓̓e̶͖͗ȳ̵̟e̶͚̓ŝ̴̖ ̷̝̃c̵̜͑ȯ̶͓m̵̨̔ë̵͖́ ̷̫͠f̶͔̽õ̵̭r̶̛̪ ̷̧̏ṷ̷̀s̷͚̚ ̵̜͊t̴̳͒o̴̧͑ő̷̮ ̷̦̇t̵̰̕h̶̗͛e̸̖͠n̴̪͌
̶̦͂
̷͚͐ý̵̫o̵͙̍u̷͚͌ ̵̰̎u̸͓̎n̵̛̤d̶͍̀ḛ̸͝r̶͍̋s̴̹͂t̸͊ͅa̷͓̓n̷̙͂d̵̥̈́?̷͔̾

[The clawed fingers of both hands flex as the green-eyed creature stares directly into Pudding's third eye.]

[flangirl]

!!!

[ THIS IS A WHOLE LOT. ]

[ As much as Pudding startles, though, she manages to hold her ground. She tries to listen, just as hard as she can. ]

[ And she stares right back. She's fucking terrified, but since when is that a new experience when dealing with something this size? And she's plenty used to horrible things this size. Must be Tuesday. So she lets as little of it show as she can manage. She still has to swallow thickly before she speaks, in Beacon-translated English, since it does seem to understand. She keeps her words careful and clear. ]

You... several you, Green Eyes. Will not help Many Eyes when it sings the song that calls for blood?

Even if it fights you then?

[ A pause. ]

You will fight alongside us to stop it?

[pure_havoc]

[Cao Pi waits for Pudding to repeat that, to be sure he's hearing what the thinks he's hearing (a little yes, a little no) but once he has the gist, he eases his hand away from Pure Havoc. A small gesture, but a clear one]

We will protect you if you protect us. We all work...together.

[he tries the whistling to make sure his point is clear, even with the simple words. He's been eager for this chance, waiting for this day. Alliance! Wise alliances with the green-eyes to protect their flank against a greater foe! Oh please let it agree...]

[nextnightmods]

[The tall spirit sways slightly as if to some hidden breeze as it interprets their responses.]

w̶e̷ ̴h̴e̴a̸r̷ ̸g̸r̵e̴a̷t̶ ̸e̷n̴d̸e̸r̷ ̴c̶o̷m̶e̸s̸,̶ ̴t̵h̵i̷s̷ ̸s̷o̷n̵g̵ ̸m̶u̵s̴t̸ ̵l̶i̴s̶t̶e̴n̸

̶b̶u̶t̸

e̵l̷s̷e̵ h̴a̴t̶e̶ ̷m̷a̸n̵y̴-̷e̵y̶e̷s̴,̴ ̵d̶e̸v̵o̷u̷r̶ ̶b̶e̸f̵o̸r̵e̶ ̵i̶t̵G̷̝̙͕̙̜͙̱͗͋̇̿̌̿̈́̓͛R̵̡̥͈̱̦͈͉̄̌̀̒͘Ô̸̻̯̳̥̮̓̍̈́̓̐̄̕͜ͅW̶̡̡͙̪͎̺̘͋̉̓̃̇̎́̀͠S̶̨̛̤̗̣̻̔́̆́͘

n̷͍̊o̷͇̽t̸̞͐ ̶͖͠f̵̧̚r̴̗̚i̸͜͝ẽ̷͎ń̴̩d̸̝͝s̴͌ͅ,̸̞͒ ̶̝͂n̷̲̏o̴̱͑ť̷̮ ̵̤̽a̷̱͝ḽ̴̀o̴͇͊n̸͚̾g̷̜̕-̶̝͝s̶̜̄i̸͔͘ḏ̵́e̸̙͗,̸̲̎ ̶͙̿n̶̠̋o̴͠ͅẗ̷̰ ̶̝̾p̴̘͝r̷̖̚ó̶̟t̵̟̎e̴̻̊c̴̺̑ṭ̴͂

̷̢̍s̶̥͊t̸̖͌ó̵̞p̴̳̒ ̶͙͝e̴̛̞n̴͐͜e̸̪͝m̷̳̈́ỵ̴́ ̴͍̐o̴̗͒f̷̢̎ ̶͎͠e̶̬̐n̴̪͗ë̸́͜m̵̧̊ÿ̴͉́

[The last phrase is said almost mockingly, if that's a safe interpretation to make from its tone. The swaying stops. It takes another firm step forward until it looms merely feet away from the both of them. It smells like rain on mud, distinct from the bitter dry cold of the frozen air all around them.]

y̵o̴u̷ ̸m̷a̸k̷e̸ ̷n̷o̵ ̶m̶i̶s̸t̶a̶k̴e̸ ̷e̶l̷s̵e̴ ̸t̷e̴e̶t̸h̵ ̷a̷n̷d̸ ̴c̴l̷a̷w̴s̶ ̶t̵o̸ ̶s̸t̸o̵p̸

y̴͉̱̍̈́͌̂͘̕ơ̴̠̠͗͂͒̽̚u̵̖͚̇͂̎̒̏̈́̈́̉̉ ̶͖̯̒͂͆ų̷̘̠͙̮̘͐̅̍̓͝͠n̴̹͇͓̈́̓d̶̗͇̱͓̟̬̩̓ę̶̍̄r̴̛̯̾̀͆͆̂́͘͝S̸̭͎̜̺͆T̶̞̠̳͔̜̗̗̥͙̏́̆Ą̷̦̦̝͚̩͔̾̓̒́̅̎̕ͅN̷̘͈͉̞͔̲̽D̷̗͙͎̱̱̜̱̈́̈́̂̉̅̈̋͠?̶̟̬̪̈̄̈́̐̂̐̈́͝

[flangirl]

[ It's moments like this Pudding actually wishes she was fully Three-Eye. Or at least knew if she could possibly hear the Voice of All Things. She takes a half step back with one foot, but only to turn slightly toward Cao Pi and put her hand on his arm again. She doesn't break eye contact with the Green Eye.]

I need some help...

It says they have to listen to the Great Ender song. But otherwise they hate Many Eyes... "devour before it grows."

But not friends, not alongside, not protect. [ She shakes her head slowly for emphasis. ] Stop "enemy of enemy."

The rest, I don't...

"You make no mistake, else teeth and claws to stop."

[ To the spirit, ]

Not friends. Understand. You devour Seven Eye? Not sure understand. Willing listen more.

[pure_havoc]

[her explanation makes sense, and all he can do is agree that they need a little more info. Still, it sounds promising]

If they also hate the Many-eyes, then by all means, I encourage them to do whatever they want to it. If it means we leave them alone in promise for them to leave us alone, I agree wholeheartedly.

[he says it somewhat quietly, mostly to Pudding in case she can translate, but loud enough that if the green-eyed creature can understand him, even better. Use all tools at hand.]

[nextnightmods]

[Behind the mask, there's a hint of lowered eyelids as the spirit watches the two, then squints at their lanterns in something like disgust before turning their gaze to the forest floor. They scrape in the snow until a pine cone shows itself, which they place beside a small sapling.]

y̸o̶u̴ ̷s̵e̴e̷ ̸t̷h̶i̴s̴

[Those green eyes focus sharply as it holds up the cone first, then drops it and points to the scrawny little two-foot pine. One, a seed; the other half-grown. Once the spirit seems certain that Pudding and Cao Pi understand that connection, it wraps those long backwards fingers around the sapling and tears it out of the soil, brings it to their mouth, and shreds off the bark in one long pull through very sharp teeth, then drops the sapling to the ground and spits out sap and plant matter.]

̵n̸o̷t̵ ̸h̴a̴v̷e̶ ̶s̷e̴v̷e̸n̷-̷e̵y̴e̷s̵ ̵g̵r̴o̷w̷ ̷t̴o̷ ̸c̷o̵m̸m̷a̶n̸d̸

[They take what remains of the sapling and break it a few times in their hands for good measure as they incline their masked face toward the nearest tree. Then, using a snapped shard of wood to point, the spirit gestures to itself.]

̴t̶h̴i̵s̶ ̷f̶o̵l̶l̵o̷w̸ ̵n̸o̸ ̵r̶u̴l̴e̵ ̵b̵u̴t̴ ̶t̷h̴i̶s̵

̵̺̀ș̷͋o̸̦̒m̷̞͊e̴̼͋ ̵̼̊ȃ̷̢ĺ̶̨l̶͓̓ ̴͚͐a̴͉͘g̶͚̉ȑ̷̪ë̸̹́ẻ̵̱,̶̯̀ ̸͇̒ẃ̶͉e̶͍̊ ̸̞͋s̵͔̍t̷͓͊ỏ̷̝p̴̩͑ ̴̗̽ṱ̸̔h̶̻͂í̵͇s̶͚͊ ̷̟̃ḇ̷̈́ẽ̶̟f̶̰́ô̸͔r̴̫͆e̴̞͂ ̵͉͆b̶̲̂ẽ̵̳c̶̦̕o̷̲̕m̵̢̒e̷̮̚

[Another sharp nod at the tree]

e̶͖͎̲̐̓n̶͙̜̜̾͆d̵̥͚̓͂̂̃ ̵̨̨̙͖͎̆̆̀̐͐ͅỏ̴̯̾͛́̍f̷̭̱͔͉̓̏͊͂̎ ̴̞̲̓̓̓̈̑͜a̴̡̭̒̇l̴̢̦͕̟͙̓̈́̈́͝l̸̜͖̼̫͛͗͒ ̴̻͙̎̓̓̎̅̉l̵̙͋͌̓͘͝ï̷͉̍̎̕̕͠g̶̺̉̀̎͝͠h̸̼̤͈̃́̑̈́ẗ̴̪̟͙͒̈͝

[flangirl]

[ A sharp squeak accompanies Pudding's sharp inward pull of breath at that sudden rending of teeth; one hand tightens on Cao Pi's arm. She manages to keep the other steady, stand her ground, though it still takes her a moment once the spirit has finished to gather her words back to herself. ]

...Well that's certainly clear enough.

[ She glances sidelong at Cao Pi, nods, and then sings their response. ]

You not want listen Many Eyes. Understand. You not want Many Eyes become Ender. We also not want Many Eyes become Ender. You destroy Many Eyes, we not get between.

[ A beat. A deep fucking breath. ]

After you destroy. If Ender not arrive. You go to where cannot hear, maybe?

[ It's a big ask but fuck it it's worth a shot. ]

[pure_havoc]

[he stays out of it this time, adding nothing. Pudding has done well in making things clear on both ends, and this is more than he could have ever hoped for. He wanted this alliance so badly but second-guessed himself frequently over his failure to communicate.

So for now he sets his hand over Pudding's on his arm to reassure her. It's fine, we got this]

[nextnightmods]

í̸̩f̵̥̩̟͍̖͚͍͆͑,

[The green-eyed spirit drops the wood fragments, then picks up the pine cone and examines it. But seemingly finding nothing of interest, it crushes the cone swiftly in its backward palm, those fingers having surprising strength, then plunges it into the snow.

But with that final display of casual, somewhat pointless violence toward a helpless object, it lowers its head and backs away into the forest, still watching Pudding and Cao Pi rather than turning its back. Before they fully lose sight of its eyes, it finishes,]

m̵̨̛̯̦̻̣̄̀̊̕ả̵̧̢̟́̏͛͗̚y̶̢͔͓̙̽b̶͍̖͙͑͊̎̉̽̕̚e̴̬̗͐̚ͅ

[flangirl]

[ Maybe. ]

[ Once the spirit is out of sight, Pudding sways a little on her feet, catches both hands onto Cao Pi's arm, and starts laughing, softly, a little hysterically. Did that just fucking happen? ]

Maybe, [she repeats out loud, for her companion's benefit. ] If they finish off the Seven-Eyed Spirit before the World Eater comes. Maybe, they'll leave to where they can't hear it.

[ She gives no fucks that her third eye is still uncovered. She's too dizzy-giddy on adrenaline collapse, this is too much good news, and they're all in this together. She'll just slap Cao Pi if he says something shitty. ]

[pure_havoc]

[fortunately, he's distracted enough not to notice right away, busy staring after the retreating spirit as if to make sure it's well and gone and not about to come back on a second thought and kill them for funsies]

This is more than I could have hoped for. If they can handle that issue for us, that is one less thing I have to factor into contingency plans...

[now he glances at her, though, and sort of does a double-take. He wouldn't even know what to say so the polite thing to do is not say anything. Better safe than sorry]

You did quite well, Lady Pudding. Much better than I could have. I am quite glad you were here.