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

[pure_havoc]

[honestly it's good to talk about anything besides World Eaters for half a second, even if it's just cookies. He turns toward Rosinante to reveal that he is indeed carrying one he hasn't started on. Ye olde BATH TOWELS it seems]

I did yesterday, they're...not terrible. Addictive, though. [which he proves by taking a bite and politely not talking with his mouth full] I really don't need more but, really. I don't understand the messages, though. It's gibberish, isn't it?

[he's been taking snaps with his pad to translate, and it's accurate, but what the fuck do bath towels have to with it?]

[callada]

[BATH TOWELS makes him laugh, he can't help it. Delicious.]

Far as I can tell, but the spirits always struggled with how we talk and write. It's nice they're trying.

[With that he pops the last bite into his mouth. Already he's feeling pleasantly warm - and that's sure a nice contrast to how brutally cold it is more than a few steps away from the bonfire. A warming cookie, is that what this is? Lucky him, if so. Worth tolerating the almost breadlike texture.]

Fewer of them around these days, though. Downtown's a lot quieter.

[pure_havoc]

[bread and sugar aversions collide and yet they can't stop eating cookies]

Is it? I haven't been that way in months. Something about the bonfire draws me, when I manage to venture outside.

[at least he has his sexy peacoat now, he looks practically modern in it with regular old wool pants and plain gloves, aside from the armor still strapped to his shins. It only takes a couple of bites for the effect to start hitting him, but he doesn't really notice it aside from being comfortable with this big, friendly presence beside him]

It's still months before their next festival of sendoff, assuming we all live that long. I wonder where they're going.

[callada]

I haven't tried to go looking too hard. Maybe if I knew any of them personally. But right now it seems too dangerous to go wandering in the woods asking questions, after what happened at the mines.

[Ah, yeah, now he can really feel it. Warmth radiates from his mouth and belly out into his limbs as he savors that last bite of the cookie, and leaves him smiling. It's a bit like being drunk, actually, that gentle heat and slight buzz but with none of the impairment - or, none yet. Fingers crossed the spirits weren't kidding about these not being some kind of trick.]

I don't know if the effects of these things are connected to the labels but if you see one that said "friendletter", grab it. It's like an internal heater.

[pure_havoc]

Friend...letter? [that's just as weird as bath towel tbh] I see. Convenient. I haven' noticed any effects, though perhaps I'm simply finally learning why other cultures enjoy this much sugar all at once.

[with that said and out of the way, he wants to discuss the danger of the woods, but first he steps closer and gives Rosinanet's nearest elbow a friendly pat. Or two or three. Like his hand is sort of magnetically attracted to doing so]

I am less concerned now that the dangerous spirits will interfere with our efforts to stop the World Eater, but the concern is still there. It would be a matter of the worst luck, them showing up when we're busy with other matters.

[callada]

[That is a little weird, but okay dude. He sort of does a brief double-take before just passing the touch off as nothing important. Not harmful obviously, just unexpected from Cao Pi.]

Worst luck? We know the reset signal is modified World Eater speech. I'm more worried this thing will show up and start telling them all to charge in and help it finish us off.

[But Cao Pi may well know something he doesn't, so he watches expectantly and hopes he's entirely wrong in his assumption.]

[pure_havoc]

[that is a concern, one that he has somewhere in his notes but not prominently enough. He'll have to double-check that]

We are already massively outnumbered and with few options. There is no need to borrow additional trouble at the moment. I'm already fairly certain we're not going to make it.

[he says it so casually though, like he's remarking on the cold weather. And also moving his arm (comfortingly??) down Rosinante's arm. Talk about mixed signals]

[callada]

[Which now makes him genuinely uncomfortable on two levels. The casual dismissal of their odds is the worse of the two, though. He tries to deal with the first by shrugging, then raising that arm to brush a few strands of hair out of his face, then takes a small step back as he lowers his hand back down to his side. Personal bubble, please.]

Fairly certain, huh. I hope you're not saying that to anyone else. Honesty has its flaws when it makes people give up before they've even started trying, because then they're guaranteed to fail.

[pure_havoc]

[aww boo...his hand drops, if only because it doesn't know where to go without its magnet to draw itself to]

Of course not. You, I can be open with. I will still give all to get us as far as we can go, and hopefully it will be enough.

[they've spoken obliquely of their hopes, plans, and so forth already, he's mentioned his lack of interest in remaining here. But maybe here is where he'll die and his tomb will lay somewhere else as it should be. Ah well. No ninth hell for him. Oh look, Rosinante's hip is close by, maybe he'll...fistbump it in encouragement. Awkwardly.]

[callada]

[So that's new. He can't say he's ever been fistbumped in the hip before. Is that a thing? If that was a thing where Cao Pi is from he surely would've known by now.

But patience and confused politeness leaves him doing nothing but blinking in confusion at the hand, at Cao Pi, then just shaking his head and letting go of it.]

Hopefully. I know you're interested in the portal, though, right? As an escape hatch, if nothing else. Have you talked to anyone about organizing that? It's probably in everyone's best interest to have a dedicated group down there, ready to leave in case things go south up here. Thinking noncombatants, mostly.

[pure_havoc]

[it's very not normal and some part of him is already wondering why he did it...but another bite of his cookie should erase that doubt pretty quickly]

I am, but its location is a problem. I don't think we can launch any attacks and also be down there to escape quickly. It will come down to one or the other, and most people are intent on putting up a fight so convincing them to forget it and simply leave is no longer an option.

Still, you're right. Someone should be prepared for that. I know all I have is my swords but that still makes me a fighter more than a, well. Computer-person.

[callada]

Likewise, I trust my weapons over any ability to program a portal. But if there's anyone who isn't already intending to fight, at least we could try to guarantee someone survives.

[It's Will. He's talking about Will. We all know it, he doesn't need to be so coy.]

My hope, of course, is we won't have to resort to such a dark measure as sending a few people off to tell the universe what happened to all the rest of us. But it's only practical to keep it in mind. Maybe I'll ask around. Frame it in a more positive light - a way to keep people who can't fight safe, and not a last resort for the survival of what we've learned.

[pure_havoc]

[Will is the only one Cao Pi trusts to man the computery bits anyway so win-win]

We have few resources, so make sure not to spread us too thin. But yes, it seems...wise. To have multiple contingencies.

[the time is ripe for another completely awkward elbow-grope, hopefully in a manner that seems somewhat encouraging]

[callada]

[That is too many times to just be some sort of casual friendly gesture. Is Cao Pi hitting on him? Is that what this is? Fueled by what might just be imminent death for everyone? It's well-known that people get a little extra-close when they might not live to see another day.

He lets his annoyance show briefly on his face as he deliberately pulls his arm away.]

Are you feeling all right?

[The slightly politer version of "yes I see you please stop", since they generally are on good terms, after all.]

[pure_havoc]

Hm?

[he startles a little at the quick movement, though it does help call his attention to where his hand is/was. UM???]

I...don't know.

[it's his least favorite phrase but it's all he has at the moment. Why is Mr. No Touchy touching? He doesn't know]

[callada]

[That seems more like genuine confusion than covering for intentional actions, and the cookies are an obvious culprit if that's the case. He's been here long enough to know how to put two and two together. But...]

When did you say you had one of those cookies? Yesterday?

[Poor guy, has he just been walking around petting everyone in the last day or so?]

[pure_havoc]

That was the first one I tasted. This is only my second.

[holding up the half-eaten Bath Towel one he started nibbling at just before this conversation. AHA. Well, maybe the cookies are in fact a problem]

...I should have known better.

[callada]

[Oh right, blame Lauren for missing that on reading back, oops lmao]

Just guessing it's the cookies, because I have a feeling you weren't trying to pet my arm just because you like it.

[He grins. It is a pretty okay arm, he thinks. Still sort of recovering from being speared through the shoulder by a green-eye very recently, but it's coming along quickly enough thanks to Law's help.]

[pure_havoc]

[wow way to completely embarrass the emperor. At least he doesn't run for it, but he does turn away to try to hide the uncomfortable look on his face]

You said they made you feel warm, that isn't... [AHEM] I did not even realize it was happening.

[callada]

[Poor guy. But even though he's come to like Cao Pi, it's still totally fair to do things like embarrass an emperor every now and then. When else would he ever get to do that?]

Don't worry about it. Maybe some of the spirits thought we all needed to share a few more hugs with each other. It's harmless.

[And much easier to brush aside if it's just a cookie effect and not something else.]

Makes me wonder what happens if you eat two at once, though.