sticksandbones | EVENT 013

EVENT 013

LET'S GO TO THE BEACH, BEACH

EVERY DAY IS SUN-DAY

Summer arrives in the Grove as one might expect: With bright sunlight and sweltering temperatures, not to mention the humidity. It’s hot, it’s sticky, and not even the river feels cold enough to cool anyone down. In times like this, the local moose monster thinks to herself: “I could assist. I could open a permanent path to the seaside for the Children of Man, one that does not require those silly glasses. Children of Man love the sea.” Unfortunately, no one can tell Moder no, and so she groups all of you up and leads you into the woods, parting the fog wall with her own magic as she carves a path forward. It’s a three-day-long journey that feels as though only three hours have passed by the time she stops walking. At the top of the cliffside to the northeast of Aldric’s Grove, the Forest Guardian uses her gargantuan hooves to uproot a redwood, knocking it into the sand below to serve as a broad bridge. This, she binds with vines so that it doesn’t spin and throw anyone to the ground fifty feet down, and then carefully ushers each of you across.

As the last of you steps down the bridge and Moder follows after, there’s a rumble in the earth, and the few of you on the log get scooped by two large handibles as Moder suddenly launches herself off of it and to the ground below just in time for said log to creak, splinter, and suddenly snap back to a standing position up on the cliff face, as if it wasn’t uprooted in the first place. Time, they say, fixes all things, but usually not fallen redwood pines.

Suddenly, the fog wall grows darker on the cliffside, obscuring even the true paths to those that can see them — though anyone stuck on the other side will be able to get down here just fine due to it only being a one-sided blockade. A blockade meant to keep all of you, Moder included, out of the Grove and trapped on the beach. A childish-but-familiar (to most of you) voice can be heard yelling, but it’s distant, as if the Fallen Sun doesn’t want to get much closer: “IF YOU WANT TO BE ON THE BEACH NEXT TO THE NASTIES IN THE SEA THEN BE MY GUEST!! STAY THERE AND ROT FOREVER WHILE YOU’RE AT IT!!” And then there’s a chorus of grumbling and “ew” and “gross” before the Fallen Sun stops talking and disappears from the area entirely.

Welcome to the seaside, Aldric’s Grove. It seems you’ll be here for quite some time while Moder tries to fix what just happened.

RESTING BEACH FACE

The golden sands and crystalline blue waters of the sea welcome you in the meantime. While Heimr and Ydalir are also stuck here with you, they will, at least, be able to provide the usual amenities — Heimr has brought everyone beach fits, including swimwear and either a boho or surfer style casual outfit, and Ydalir can use her mirror to grab items you might want from your houses or inn rooms to play with. She supposes she can grab you your normal wardrobes, too, even though that’s not really in the spirit of beach.

Umbrellas, lounge chairs, and a volleyball net are all set up on the coast here, giving you ample room to both play and relax. The palm trees will drop the occasional coconut for you to eat or, say, throw at the person next to you, but one should exercise caution: Some coconuts are actually crabs that will pinch you if they’re picked up or thrown at mach speed into the nearest person. Under the brush crawl mango mice, and jellybeans float happily within the tidepools. Go far enough toward the cove to the west, near the cliff face where the Cosmic Serpent slumbers far out into the sea, and you may get accosted by the mobster lobsters. You’re in the wrong neighbourhood, kid, why don’tcha skedaddle?

Far in the distance, over the vast ocean, is a layer of white mist over the sea. Or, perhaps it’s another fog wall…? It’s difficult to tell from here, but the mist never dissipates and always lingers. Should you bravely swim out to it, you cannot pass through it nor see past it, though unlike the black fog back home, it doesn’t hurt to touch. It merely forces you back.

Enjoy the sun and soak up some vitamin D. While escape still isn’t possible, at least this place is peaceful.

THAT’S A-MORAY

…well, kind of.

The thing about Aldric’s Grove and the outlying seaside is that nothing is ever peaceful and cute for too long, and nothing ever goes exactly the way you want it to. To the east, riding the line between sand and sea, is a long, tunnelling cave that dips into the earth. It’s full of glowing corals and crystals and fish that should, theoretically, not be able to float through the air like it’s water — but stranger things have happened here, so surely the fruit sharks aren’t the real danger. No, the real danger is that every high tide, that cave floods completely, leaving no room for air or for escape. Luckily, high tide only tends to come at night…

…but during all hours of the day, something far in the distance sings songs. It’s a chorus, beautiful and hypnotizing, and if one were to look out toward stones that jut from the distant sea, they’ll spot them: a choir of gorgeous sirens resting upon the jagged rocks. They’re so, so happy to sing with you, should you stray closer — but getting too close means getting grabbed and dragged under. The sirens do not care if you drown on the way to a sandbar far from the Grove itself, but should you survive, you might want to scream for help. Their dinnertime is in a few hours, you see.

Somewhere far, far away from the shore, you can hear something roaring, too. Something large. Something imposing… something you should probably ignore.

SHIP HAPPENS

If one traverses the aforementioned cave before high tide rolls in, making it to the other side and crossing the threshold will spit one out on the docks, where there are cabanas for you to live in temporarily. Or permanently, if you really want to leave the forest behind. The pier boasts numerous empty stalls from a civilization long-gone; off by one of those piers is an old ship in a state of disrepair, and though it looks like it could function in the future, where would you even go if you fixed it?

The two merchants have their own spaces here — past the line of cabanas is an old, run-down building that looks like it was meant to be a seaside souvenir shop before the world as you once knew it ended, and this is where Heimr chooses to set up a temporary General Store. He’ll need some help cleaning all the old junk and coconut crabs out, if you feel like giving him a hand. Fatherly love points will be given to any and all who help, and once finished, a friendly spirit in the form of a dragonfruit dragon will help keep things stocked, as Plum does back at the Grove. Ydalir’s tent lies right outside of the temporary General Store, although her giant tortoise spends a great deal of time wandering off to go play in the shallows.

Each cabana is equipped with a small kitchen, a small living space including a pull-out couch and a bed suitable for two, and a bathroom with a standing shower and sink. There’s an outdoor seating area and firepit next to each, too. Sadly, there are only ten of these, so some sharing may be required, unless you want to sleep outside.

Happy summer, everybody. Don’t forget the sunscreen!

SPARK NOTES

CLICK TO EXPAND!

EVERY DAY IS SUN-DAY

Moder has led everyone to the beach for a day out. Unfortunately, "a day out" is actually going to be "an entire month out that you didn't ask for" thanks to the Fallen Sun. Oops.

RESTING BEACH FACE

While everyone is stuck on the beach, at least the usual amenities are available. Watch out for the coconut crabs, who are actually coconuts, and the mobster lobsters who want nothing more than to pinch your ankles until you get off of their turf. Enjoy volleyball and lounging under the sun in the meantime, though.

THAT’S A-MORAY

The cave floods during high-tide, the sirens want you to come out and sing with them and drown, and something roars in the distance. The ocean is full of untold horrors for your viewing pleasures.

SHIP HAPPENS

The docks is where most of the actual living will happen. Heimr needs help cleaning out an old souvenir shop to make into a General Store, an old ship on the pier might be able to be repaired, and there are ten total cabanas between all of you. Better find a roommate!

OOC

Friends it is summer, please use sunscreen IRL if you go to any beaches that may or may not contain sirens. For the event specifically, OOC Plotting Lives Here if you'd like to plot anything out!

UPDATES

❖ None yet!

SUBMISSIONS

QUESTIONS
TREASURE-HUNTING & EXPLORATIONS
PAST-LIFE PLOTTING

(CODE)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Fortunately for Pure Vanilla, he's talking with a Seaborn. And We Many have a very... skewed way of looking at the world. It's not naturally easy for them to think of the world as an "individual". Which is part of the reason he snaps his head up, eyes a little puffy from tearing up, but not full crying yet. He finally lets go of the album to put his hands on PV's shoulders... but only so he can pull him back to look him in the eye. The album is being held my Mizuki's tentacles.

He doesn't entirely disagree with PV, even. But... ] No, of course that's not why we're here.

[ Whatever shakiness he had is strangely gone. Like a switch had flipped instantly. He hugs PV here, though. ]

We're here to experience the good in the world, and in turn make ourselves better. We share that goodness with others, and in doing so, a cycle is created that makes the world under the stars so beautiful. I don't need to be special. I know I'm not. But I want to be good. I want to do good and pass that on to others. That way, maybe someday I'll inspire happiness in people, too.

[ A squeeze. ] Which... is to say: We're here to live, [ Survival. ] and to experience the world, [ Migration. ] and take the goodness into ourselves, [ Growth. ] and pass it onto others. [ Reproduction. ]

[ He will let Mizuki pull back, then make a surprised noise as he's suddenly the one dragged into a hug, while Mizuki refutes the reason yet also oddly... supports it. Ah, he does sound so much like White Lily. But it's not like Pure Vanilla can argue, because wasn't that their ideal? Isn't that why he sought power and the truth of it? To make lives better?

He huffs a soft laugh and returns the squeeze gently. ]

Of course, you are right. They are two sides to the same coin. Love and happiness. Giving it and getting it. Cultivating it in ourselves, enjoying our lives, finding that which makes us happy. Then reaching out to give it to others in return.

[ He rubs Mizuki's back gently, smiling and turning to rub his horns lightly against Mizuki's head, affectionate little bunting. ]

You are good, already. You don't need to try, you already are.

[ Similar enough on the surface, but it seems to be enough of a difference for Mizuki. Cults are weird- ]

...How do you know that, though?

I know it may sound strange [ Or perhaps not, considering who and how Mizuki is ] but I do not speak untruths.

[ It's not with him, but somewhere in the Cabana the Souljam shines. ]

My Souljam is that of Truth. I merely do not see what is hidden through it, but I cannot speak that which is not true.

[ Truth, however, may be subjective. Pure Vanilla isn't entirely sure on that. ]

...Is that the thing you were giving Ourania? Was it supposed to make her tell the truth, too? [ Please, he doesn't understand anything and is so small. ]

How do you know what "good" is, though? How can you be sure? Everyone gives me a different answer, even my mentor and mama's were different... I'd been told to be proud of myself even at my worst, and especially then I couldn't understand it.

Oh no. The Souljam is made up of something from my world called Life Powder. Life Powder is in everything, and is given by the Very Gods so that we may live. [ Haha it IS the Gods. Literally. ] It is a small portion of their power. I was merely giving her a small piece of the God power within the Souljam, in hopes it would aid her strength. That God power is what allows me to See the Truth. But it only works for those who ideals resonate with it. I cannot speak falsehoods, or this power turns away from me. I must always turn towards the Truth, Seek it and it's Light, if I desire it to remain harmonious with my own soul.

[ He shifts himself in Mizuki's grip, and shifts his own, snuggling the child to him a little more comfortably. ]

"Good" is subjective, sadly. Good for one, may not be what another believes is Good. That is the truth for all individualists. We all form our own opinions, we all experience life through different lenses. You can generalize, of course. "Good" is helping those who need help, without worrying about what you may get in return. "Good" can be a feeling you get, after a long day of hard work and you can relax, and see the fruits of your labours. "Good" has no one defining meaning. But there is one we all seem to agree on. "Good" cannot be something that also "Hurts." Even if the hurt is unintentional. In which case your intentions may be good, but your actions are not.

[ He understands it's VERY complicated. ]

[ Mizuki just opts to sit in PV’s lap, actually. It’s easier all around — plus PV has fluffy goat legs. Good for chair. And it’s easier for Mizuki to hug both his album and lean into PV.

He listens, though. He waits. He closes his eyes and he seriously absorbs everything. Even after he finishes, Mizuki doesn’t say anything for a moment, just considers…

But maybe he’s just got PV’s previous talk about truths on the brain, so: ] But… I’ve been told the truth hurts sometimes. But telling the truth is good, isn’t it?

[ He's more than welcome to, Pure Vanilla waiting until Mizuki gets comfortable, before settling his arms around him again. Rubbing his back in little soothing motions.

And ah, that makes him shake his head. ]

The Truth is not beholden to such subjectivity. The Truth is the Truth. It is neither Good, nor Bad, nor concerned with such ideas. The Truth can be painful, it can be harsh, it can force you to confront things you would rather not. About yourself, the world, your own beliefs. You cannot say the Truth is Good because it does not consider itself in line with an idea that is inherently moral.

[ …

Seems you’ve lost him, PV. His eyes sort of drift off to watch the ocean waves, a little sniff to fill the silence as he wipes at one of his cheeks. How is the truth not inherently good or bad? Is lying okay to do, then? Is it also not good or bad?

Very softly, he adds, ] I don’t understand.

Dr. Kal’tsit… told me I needed to lie sometimes. No one was s’posed to know I’m seaborn, for example. And there’s loads of other stuff, too. I had to lie about it.

Did I not do bad, then…?

[ Oh sweetheart. He sighs softly, stroking his fingers through Mizuki's hair, straightening and untangling it gently. ]

Oh, my dear, you did not. Lies are not inherently bad, like the Truth is not inherently good. Small lies can be used to protect someones feeling, or keep a secret that was entrusted to you. This is something that has been debated for longer than I have existed.

[ Oh he can feel Shadow Moon Cookie mocking him, even if he can't quite hear him anymore due to the breaking of the jam. ]

[ Fun fact about Aegir: their hair is very silky smooth. Mizuki's hasn't lost that even with his transition to being Seaborn. ]

Thank you. For being here, but... also for explaining things. I still don't think I quite get it, but that's not your fault.

[ He leans back against Pure Vanilla, putting the album in his lap and spreading his hands over the cover. ]

I think I'm ready to look inside. Will you stay with me?

I don't blame you, my dear. Questions like these have kept philosophers up for days, chewing between them the meaning.

[ He waits for Mizuki to settle again, moving to set his hands onto Mizuki's on the album, taking hold of them to gently squeeze. Offering support, before removing his hands. ]

I will, my dear. I am here, I will not leave you.

[ Fantastic, because... Mizuki isn't going to open the book, actually. He's going to just lean back into PV and listen to the waves for a bit. He just has to prepare himself. Just a little longer. It'd been so long since he'd seen her face, so...

...

When he finally opens the cover, they'll both be able to see a very lovingly crafted scrapbook, filled with tons of polaroids. Most of the photos are of just little Mizuki, all with writing at the bottom to tell what the photo is of.

“Mizuki’s 5th birthday! I baked a cake. It didn’t turn out the best, but he loved it! Look at those chubby cheeks!”
“Mizuki’s first fish caught! It’s bigger than he is! He’s so proud!!!”
“Heehee Mizuki doesn’t know I caught him playing with his toys~”
“Mizuki’s first sketchbook!”
“I’m bringing him with me to class today. He’s gonna start learning with the other kids!”
“He picked his own outfit out today!”

…and things of that nature. Occasionally, they’ll see a woman with young Mizuki in the pictures. Long pink hair, with a kind, gentle face. Usually doing something silly with Mizuki. There’s quite a few of them making silly faces in the camera together.

The book also has pictures of the rest of the town. The local kids, that were also his mother’s students. Neighbors and local fishermen. Everyone looks like family here, it seems. She even has a recipe for saltwater taffy in the book that Mizuki lingers on for a moment.

…

The book abruptly stops having anymore pages soon after Mizuki’s 9th birthday picture, which is of him holding up his first gaming console, with his mom holding him, and the words “happy birthday, Mizuki! I love you so much!” written along the bottom.

…

Mizuki is completely silent for this, hanging his head down. Perhaps intentionally, so PV cannot see. ]

[ And he will let Mizuki take as much time as he needs. Until then, he will hold the boy gently, peacefully. Enjoying the sound of waves with him, the faint call of sea birds. A mobster lobster somewhere going 'eeeeey EEEY' to someone getting too close.

When he feels Mizuki move finally, the Staffs eye opens to he can watch. He gazes around the jelly to the album as the other quietly flips through it. And he can't help but smile to the memories inlaid there. Baby Mizuki, enjoying his firsts, the love of his mother.

And she's lovely, a kindness that radiates off of her even through the photos. The love she held for him. It's very obvious.

And then it ends and... it's also very obvious how hurt Mizuki is. Quietly Pure Vanilla tightens his hold, folds Mizuki up against him more, curls around him a little. Cocoons him in safety and love and comfort. ]

[ He's... not doing so hot. He's not shaking or bawling, but he's definitely not happy. He's not even going to try to put on a smile. It was nice to see his mama again, but, man, his heart aches... ]

...I know it's not right to think "if I had done something different, she'd be okay", but it's really hard not to.

She didn't tell me what was happening. She didn't want me to panic. She put me in a cabinet and said "it's like hide and seek. Don't come out." And then I heard her scream in the living room, and I was so scared, I didn't know what to do, and I started crying.

And then the bandits found me, too. [ If his story is hard to follow along with and fragmented, it's likely because that's... just how Mizuki recalls it. He was only 9, after all. ]

They pulled me outside, but I managed to slip away... just long enough for one of them to shove me over and slit my throat. I don't know if they did that to everyone, but no one should ever have to feel that feeling of choking on your own blood.

[ There's no words to speak, as Mizuki tells him of his childhood as he remembers it. His stomach churns and his heart aches as he listens to this young one speak of such a violent memory. Of his mother being killed, of he himself having such a horrific thing done to him.

Quietly he turns both Mizuki and the book around. He doesn't dare take it from him. Instead he moves it so it's locked between the two of them, as he cradles Mizuki to him, holds his face against his shoulder so he can hide there in the faint curls of wool that are already growing back.

And he holds him tight, like he can squeeze this horrible memory out of him. ]

Oh, my darling, I am so sorry...

[ He's fine, Peepaw, really! Look! No tears! :)

He leans into PV and shakes his head. ]

You don't have to be, Mister Pure Vanilla. I made it out alright. After my mentor found me, he made me Seaborn to heal the wound. But... I... I hated those people, you know? I wanted them to hurt. I wanted them to hurt. I wanted them to feel a far worse pain than they made me feel.

[ He clenches the album against him tightly, and Mizuki's tendrils unfurl around him. They stay camouflaged, but the shadows they cast are obviously making them swarm from the fury he feels. ]

I hated them so much, you know? And I decided, if I'm gonna make a choice, I'm gonna get rid of them. I'm gonna make them suffer. I didn't want to just do it to get rid of evil things, I just wanted them... to pay.

...

So I found them. But I don't know what happened, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I thought... "What made these guys like this? Why would they want to hurt people? What makes people do cruel things? Is there still good in even people like these?"

So I thought maybe... I could fix them. Like how my mentor fixed me.

[ This is the OPPOSITE of fine. Pure Vanilla holds him tight even as he feels the shifting of the tendrils, his Staff picking up the flicker of shadows as they shift and tremble. His heart breaks for Mizuki feeling so much rage that revenge was all he could think of. He doesn't flinch away, instead he holds him and lets him tremble his fury out. Listens as he explains in the end, he couldn't do it.

And Pure Vanilla is unsure.

Was it Mizuki's naturally good heart that, though he was furious, couldn't bring himself to hurt someone who had once hurt him? That knew that revenge wasn't the answer, and would merely turn him into the same thing that had hurt him?

Or was it the Seaborn hivemind, seeing a perfect opportunity to gain More. They could be healed and helped by becoming Them.

Where did Mizuki end and Seaborn begin. ]

It is not a bad thing to wonder. Pain can make us do ... so many things. Things we would not expect ourselves capable of. Empathy is what makes us ask those questions despite our own pain. Or, perhaps, because of it. Did you turn them into Seaborn?

[ Isn't that the question of the century. Realistically, there isn't an answer. Being inducted into the hivemind at such a young age meant that Mizuki's thoughts were forever warped through the lens of the eldritch horrors. Even if one were to take the Seaborn out of Mizuki, he wouldn't just go back to how he was. This is who he is now, and there's not much in the way of changing that.

But Mizuki still has his own emotions. His own will. His own ideals and wants. Even if sometimes there's an elder god thought in his mind from time to time, he's still doing his best.

Which is why he shakes his head here. ]

I gave them enough so they'd hear the Call. Which... only turns them if they don't reject it. I wasn't trying to hurt them. I just wanted them to have enough to realize... something. I'm not sure what. Maybe something to realize what they did was wrong, or... something. I'm not sure.

But the ones that didn't accept the Call had their minds broken and went mad. So I think maybe... I messed up...? I wasn't trying to...

[ Oh.

That. Explains a lot, actually, and his heart hurts for Mizuki some more. He thought he was doing good, offering them a chance, a possible other path than the one they want.

But instead, it was turn or go insane. There was no actual choice. Pure Vanilla sadly thinks Mizuki doesn't understand because he's not allowed to understand. It doesn't behoove the Seaborn to allow Mizuki to understand.

And of course, Mizuki wouldn't know this and instead think he screwed up. ]

No... no darling, I don't think you messed up at all. I cannot say for certain, as I do not know truly anything about your Seaborn, but... you truly thought you were helping them. You truly believed they would either join the Call and change, or turn away and be normal. There is no onus on you here, them going mad was not your doing or responsibility. I... like I said, I don't know fully, but to me? It sounds like the Seaborn lied to you, used you. They did not give those men the choice like you thought you were giving them. Do you understand?

…hm, you seem to have the wrong opinion of Us, Mister Pure Vanilla. We’re not this malevolent force that people so often seem to make Us out to be.

[ Yes, hi, the hivemind isn’t something Mizuki can just turn off. We Many are always here, always listening, always watching. But We also rarely put Our fingers in anything that doesn’t concern the collective immediately. Especially when it comes to “Mizuki”. After all, he’s the Arbor’s child. It’s been too long since We’ve heard its voice. ]

We didn’t influence anything. It was as simple as the fact that doing that had fixed me. I thought it would fix them, too.

We Many have learned not to interfere with matters of grief.

[ Oh, hello, is that We Many? It sure is. He's silent for a moment, a little frown on his face. No, he doesn't believe he has the wrong idea of them at all. Survival at all costs. Consume. Change. Devour the world until one is all. Those that don't want to join aren't needed, and are tossed aside.

He sighs softly, listening to the interweaving of We and I.

Truly, how much of Mizuki is Mizuki, and how much is it the Collective? How strong is the connection over the distance?

Yet he doesn't want to upset Mizuki. He wants to ask what would Mizuki have done, if he had still been Mizuki and not part of the Hivemind. But he won't. Instead he shakes his head gently. ]

Forgive my ignorance then, my dear. I did not mean harm by it. I am merely able to make conjunctures with what knowledge I have.

[ We are no mind readers, fortunately. Thus, there’s no more push back. Mizuki simply leans back against Pure Vanilla, closing his eyes. ]

We know. I’m bad at explaining things. Rare that one gets it. Understanding is a long process, on all sides. We still don’t understand what it means to be a cookie, after all. That is also an anomaly. Yet you seem to be a child of the cosmos all the same.

[ And Pure Vanilla will squeeze Mizuki to him gently, snuggling the other into him like a fuzzy chair. ]

It is. It takes a lot of back and forth sometimes for both sides to truly know one another. It... would be as hard for me to describe what being a Cookie is like, as much as it would be you describing a Seaborn properly. For what comes so natural to us, is so foreign to the other.

[ He rocks Mizuki lightly, relaxing. ]

I would say we all our, in our way.

...That's why it's important to me that we preserve the people. Everyone's got a story to tell. Something to share with the world shaped by their experiences. Even if they weren't always good, that's wisdom to be passed onto the next person all the same.

I want to protect that.

I'm just not very good at it...

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

cw: child death, gore

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject