EVENT & TDM 012

[sticksandbonesmods]

IT'S GONNA BE MAY

WAKE UP

You open your eyes, and with a jolt, find yourself within the clearing of a miniscule town surrounded by trees and thick, black fog. Despite the ominous backdrop, nature seems to be thriving — it’s a pleasantly chill spring day, as far as anyone can tell, and everything is vibrant and blooming… even some of the animals. At some point, a friendly old dog with red fur approaches, carrying a basket in his jaws. Inside are blackberries and apples other fruits. Did he find this himself? Or did someone give them to him to bring to new arrivals? Regardless, he very clearly hopes that you’ll share.

A giant golden brown turtle sits by a tent, napping in the sunlight. Two statues sit in the courtyard by an old well — a haloed woman marked as the Goddess of the Sun, Beiwe, and a gentle woman looking adoringly at her counterpart, marked as the Goddess of the Moon, Ourania. If you pay your respects, the air feels gentle and warm in the day, and like a fresh cool breeze at night.

As you explore more, perhaps the bloomed animals will approach — a mossy squirrel, or a frog who happens to also be a lilypad. It’s charming, almost. Whimsical and kind.

Shame that the wall of fog looms ever on, watching. Waiting.

SHINING, SHIMMERING, SPLENDID

cw: hallucinations, compulsions, near-death experiences

For a while, spring seems gentle, almost. Peaceful. The previous month may have been full of jokes, but things are actually safe. Of course, that can’t last forever. Every night, a purple, shimmering mist floods the town. It does not breach the doors and windows, even if left open, but looking at it is… enticing.

Should you give in, the mist is cool and gentle, swaying around you like smoke. The longer you stay in, the more your eyes feel blissfully heavy. Soon, you find yourself surrounded by loved ones, in a place that brings you joy — a childhood home, a vacation spot, some place warm and safe and dear to your heart. Everyone is playing and having so much fun. Join them! Join them!

Of course, by the time you do jump into the fun, you’ll find yourself awakened with a start, just about to fall into danger. Perhaps you climbed a tree and were about to leap to the ground from too high up. Or maybe you stuck your head in the river and your lungs were about to empty. Regardless, the happy dream shatters with imminent danger, and perhaps you’d better hope that someone else is nearby to help you. … Especially since with each night you give in, the more enticing the mist is the next night.

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

At some point, the mist is forcibly dissipated and instead the moon shines brightly, almost like a spotlight. Investigation will reveal an absurdly large capybara that seems more like a vehicle than an animal, even with the jasmine flowers hanging off of it, siting down with the ‘door’ accessible to anyone willing to climb in.

“Come with me, and I will bring you to a night of festivities.” is all that it says when asked. And it knows that you will — you’re all curious as kittens, after all. Once the last person takes a fuzzy seat within the capybara, it slowly stands up and begins walking through the woods, and for the first time, everything seems peaceful. Normal, even. Why, there’s not even a monster or misshapen, grabby tree! Just a moonlit forest, and fireflies in the distance.

Eventually it brings you to a small but beautiful cabin, crouching down to let everyone out again. Outside is a layer of marble surrounded by pillars decorated with sheer fabrics and an abundance of lilies and calendula, jasmine and marigolds, hydrangeas and gladiolus. A buffet table has also been spread out, and within the cabin are changing rooms with a multitude of ornate gowns and suits, alongside sitting rooms and other potential necessities — though you get the feeling that you should still be on your best behavior here.

Gentle music plays from an unknown source. The capybara is resting, until it’s time to leave come sunrise. For one night, everything is at peace. You may as well enjoy it, and dance to your heart’s content.

SPARK NOTES

CLICK TO EXPAND!

WAKE UP

Welcome to Aldric's Grove! The fog wall is a little creepy, but worry not: A dog has brought you a snack, and the plant-bearing wildlife are pretty friendly. If you've been here for a while, no worry: You, too, are getting a basket of treats from the dog.

SHINING, SHIMMERING, SPLENDID

A purple mist fills the Grove at night, and stepping into it makes you experience a euphoric dream... shortly before you wake up because you nearly walked into death. Be careful, because the mists are addicting, and you may not have an easy time avoiding their temptation the following nights.

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

For one night, the mists clear up and peace settles over the forest. A giant capybara gleefully takes everyone to the site of a grand dance, where the clothing and food are all free, and the music swells with joy. Dance your hearts out until dawn breaks, and then the capybara will take you back home.

OOC

Happy May! This is a reminder that TDMs are game canon. Enjoy your dreams, enjoy your prom night, enjoy the capybara. OOC Plotting Lives Here if you'd like to plot anything out!

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Comments

[bugbrained]

[ That makes Zazie nod. They don't know if they were there for the worlds conception, but they don't think so. The world was there before they were, but they became the world. Every living organism is them. Or was, until the fall.

And to be fair it does invoke some sort of emotion. They like the song, it's warbly instead of buzzing. In and out, up and down, instead of constant. Zazie moves to lay beside Mizuki, staring up at the starless sky. Where are they? Distance plants, distance suns? Is there something large and black covering them? ]

We can test it later, if you want! I can keep making as many eyes as you'd like. I don't have any larger worms to offer, but humans often eat us cooked and don't have any changes, so I'm not entirely sure that'd work anyways.

[ Zazie listens but doesn't understand. They don't hallucinate. It takes them a while of conferring to come to understanding and he nods. ]

Like if someone was afraid of us and saw us, even if we weren't there. Neat! You're really cool, you're far more interesting than humans. You're a lot like Knives.

[mooninthewater]

[ That's unfortunate, really. Not that Mizuki was looking to shove more bugs in his mouth or anything, but he wishes it were that easy for Zazie, too. It's fine, Mizuki has ideas. After all, he's been trying for a long time to figure out how to become more like other things and how that worked. How to "become One". It'll be nice to have another who'd help him test these theories, at least. ]

I'm glad you think so... but I really don't think I'm all that exciting. [ He's just some nerd that likes video games and psychology. Even with We Many there, he doesn't think of himself as much of anything to be interested with. ] That said... I know humans from your world sound like they're being a hassle, but... do you really not like them?

[bugbrained]

[ They reach out and snag Mizuki's hand again, then just let them lay in the grass. It seems like Mizuki likes it, and they're fascinated by the idea that humans like touch so much. And it's really not bad, it's an interesting feeling. ]

Well you are, because you're like Us but- [ .... ] wet. [ Like a water producing Plant. ] And we're not used to that! It's really neat.

[ The question makes them hm. ]

I don't like or dislike them. I don't feel those emotions. They confuse me. They're greedy, and mean to each other, they kill, and rob, and sabotage themselves. They devour their resources like they are truly infinite. Yet I have watched them put themselves into danger for someone else. I do not know what to think of them.

[mooninthewater]

[ Holding hands!!!! Mizuki is more than happy to do this, actually. He even twines his fingers with Zazie's immediately. Had they been standing, he very well may have started swinging them again. ]

Mmh, it's true. It's been too long since We've met anyone outside of Our own kin who have had a modicum of similarity to Us. It's nice to just talk to someone about it without worryin' about sayin' anything off color...

[ Except all of this is very weird, but at least the freaks don't seem to think so! #winning, or something.

He gives Zazie's arm a little pat with his other hand, though. ] Maybe I could help with that confusion a bit? Like I said earlier, humans really value their individuality, meaning all people are unique in their own ways. But that also means that sometimes people can be bad and do cruel or harmful things to the world around them, and likewise, there's sometimes good people, who want to help the world around them thrive. The bad people are... how should I say this... it's easier to destroy things and leave nothing behind than it is to help your surroundings thrive, so one bad person can crush the efforts of several good people.

Which is why it's really important to fix the bad people so they can't do that anymore. I've found that eating them is the most effective method. [ Mizuki-- ]

[bugbrained]

[ 'Saying anything off color' makes them confer briefly with themselves. Human euphemism isn't exactly their forte here. They're able to infer what it means after a moment and nod thoughtfully. The pat to their arm make them amused - humans really are very keen on the comfort thing - then grins hard. ]

Oh, we've done that enough. They're food to us when they're out in the sands. We are opportunistic, we will not turn down a meal when it's above us.

[ That really is exactly like the Twin Plants and their different ideals. ]

That's easy enough, I know that. The "bad" guy is the one who blows up the town because the lady didn't want to marry him. [ Shit's weird on Nomans. ] But we don't know Why. Why do that? What's the purpose? What do they gain? It's not for survival. Likewise, why be good for a world that doesn't care? Vash is "Good" and always sought to save the cities and try not to kill. But why? Especially when they brand him bad anyways, or betray him. Wolfwood is "good" because he was doing it for his stuff but he still was "bad" because he sold Vash out to Knives.

[ Do you see what he means, Mizuki. Humans are so fucking weird, and Plants affected by humans are too. The hivemind doesn't understand it. Why why why? ]

[mooninthewater]

[ Understandable! Mizuki doesn't entirely agree, but only because he's only slightly spoiled with buffets (that he's admittedly banned from a lot of) and eating contests. Simply don't live in a hellscape, Zazie?

He does see what he means, though. Mizuki has to deal with that on a constant basis, which is why he simply Stopped trying to figure it out. Moral compasses are just too confusing to figure out. Everything should just be right or wrong, no in betweens that make your head hurt. Bluh. ]

Humans don't... really function on survival. There's definitely some self-preservation here and there, but the "good" ones don't seem to have any. [ See: Those who recklessly throw themselves into the fire if it means they might save just one person. ] I don't know why bad people do what they do. I've studied it for some time, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But the good does.

People have experiences that they can’t pass on to their kin like we can, so they pass that on to others by weaving these beautiful stories, or creating profound artworks, to share it with others. Others are able to absorb those stories to take into themselves and make it their own. They learn from others goodness. And they can choose to accept or reject it. It’s kind of like planting a tree. If the place your planting it is not sustainable for the tree, it won’t grow. But that won’t stop the original tree from trying to plant more seeds. Does that make more sense?

[bugbrained]

[ But they LIKE their hellscape?!

That makes them snort a little though because yeah, Vash definitely never had any self-preservation. The other's did, up until Vash infected them all with his "morality". ]

Kind of. I get the stories thing, but that still seems silly to me, to base yourself off a story. An idealized thing you might not even be able to reach.

[ And though the metaphor is weird to Zazie, they kind of understand it, having spent enough time around Knives and his paradise concept. They have to replace the idea of a tree with a worm, though. Flying worms don't grow in the sand, etcetera.

It makes Zazie laugh. ]

Human concepts really are something, huh? I get it, though, I guess. Nourish and take root, right?

[mooninthewater]

[ Begging for Vash to have SOME self-preservation, honestly. "An idealized thing you might not even be able to reach" is so funny to Mizuki, actually. Mostly because it's quite literally his name. "Moon in the water". Something you can see, something beautiful, something that seems so easy to touch, and yet can never reach. An ideal meant to never be obtained.

Yet he's still here, isn't he? ]

It can be silly sometimes, sure. But I think that's fun, too. I think so long as someone takes something from it, even if the "something" is just enjoyment, it's worth being told.

[ And Mizuki hums here, thinking to himself. Honestly? He thinks that, based on the things that Zazie has mentioned so far, had he lived in his world, he may have thought these same things. If the people who'd met Mizuki hadn't been kind, hadn't given him the means to thrive, hadn't taken the time to help him, and instead had seen the world as cold and cruel, he probably wouldn't have been so open to people, either.

Yet... ] I think they're fascinating. I wanna know why they think like that. Especially all the people here. They're so kind and so ambitious. It doesn't make any sense, and that's so interesting to me.

[bugbrained]

Huh so, do it because it's fun?

[ There's a lot of things Zazie finds fun. Probably not the best things considering who their influence has been this entire time but! They find it fun! Maybe that applies to the bad guys too, the ones who blow up towns because they were slighted by a lady. They do it because it's fun for them.

They get that!

The people here being kind and ambitious makes them pause, thoughtful. Do they find it fun to be so? No, kindness can hurt, Zazie has seen that. Who finds pain fun? If they're not causing it, that is. They roll - still holding Mizuki's hand - to sprawl on their side, their free hand propping their head up. ]

It really doesn't make sense. But I guess I'm interested too. Knives was "kind", I guess. Respectful, at any rate. He understood Us. Too bad he turned out to be a liar. I don't know the other's well enough. We haven't spent time with them. But!

[ And they grin. ]

You'll help with that, right?

[mooninthewater]

[ Mizuki nods in response, wobbling their hands back and forth excitedly. ]

I'm not all that good at it, either, but I can teach you the things that I've learned, for sure. Only if you give me the same courtesy, though. I feel like learning is easier if you're learning with someone, anyway.

[bugbrained]

Okay, I'll let you know what we learned! But hey, I got a question, before we start all that.

[ They tilt their head backwards to glance up. ]

What happened to all the planets and stars? Is there something in the way?

[mooninthewater]

[ Mizuki looks back to the sky and stares for a long time before he actually answers. He can remember where all the stars are supposed to go from his hallucination, but... ]

You know... I'm not... actually sure? I think something ate the stars, and so they're all gone now?

[bugbrained]

[ Have the most are you pulling their legs look, Mizuki. Then they glance back up. ]

Look, we may have never been off our planet, but even we know Space is a thing. Stars can't simply get eaten. There's entire galaxies out there!

[mooninthewater]

Um, yeah! I don’t really know how it works, actually? Like… space, I mean. Here, specifically. Space back home was different. We had galaxies and stuff, too. We came from beyond the stars, even. But here it doesn’t seem to work like that? This world might be some kinda enclosed dimension or somethin’.

[bugbrained]

Enclosed dimension... Like the other plane Knives was always going on about?

[ That would explain some things. Zazie doesn't know what that stuff looks like, obviously. But power right? ]

Huh! That makes sense!

[mooninthewater]

umm, maybe! [ He didn't get to talk to Nai that much, really. ] This is just a theory, of course. I can't confirm if the world is really like that or anything. I don't know how you'd even test something like that?