the last bloom of summer

[lilyberation]

Hello, everyone. This is White Lily Cookie.

I'm so sorry about what happened with my corruption and how the Forest was able to use my magic alongside his to harm everyone. If you're still feeling any after effects, please let me know.

Otherwise... Mephisto is insisting I take a vacation and I'm letting myself be bullied. I'll be on the beach for a few days in the cabanas, though if anyone wants to visit or anything I'll gladly welcome the company!

That said, my resurrection from the Garden has left me deaf. I'm still adjusting and expect to be doing so for a while... Once I return, I'll be using magic to map out the clinic so that if anyone enters, I'll know, rather than relying on sound as I used to. I'll be doing something similar to my home as well. Telepathy does work on me too, but not everyone has that.

I'll see you all very soon. ♡

Comments

[fluffiestsoul]

Try to enjoy your vacation without planning too much work.
You deserve it.

I'm... glad you're alright. After all of that.

[lilyberation]

I think if I try to do too much, one of you is going to manifest me to throw me back into bed.

I'm doing better than I had expected, though. Will you all be alright?

[fluffiestsoul]

Count me among that number. Just in case.

I'm glad to hear it. You had me worried.

[He is absolutely ignoring that question, thank you.]

[outofsynth]

Is there anything we can do to make sure we can still talk to you if telepathy isn't an option?

[lilyberation]

I'm

Honestly I'm not sure. I know before he left, Gnosis had taught multiple people sign language. I know writing is tedious but possible. Lipreading escapes me, though... It's going to be a learning curve for all of us, I think.

[outofsynth]

I can spell my name in sign. That's about it though.

[Which feels incredibly unhelpful in the scheme of things.]

[bladeascent]

[The most, and I mean THE MOST overdone fancy calligraphy appears in the notebooks. It's like talking to Enciodes all over again. Uh oh call the cops rich boy incoming—

(also what fucking flavour are all these goddamn cookies supposed to be he cannot keep up)]

It's nice to meet you. I'm newer here — my name is Vildred Dayern, knight of Ezera. Ordinarily I wouldn't have anything to say about something I wasn't involved in, but I wanted to give you well-wishes.

[...god he needs to work on being more casual, help. It's like paper is put in front of him and his brain clicks into business mode.]

I don't know any sign, unfortunately, so I'm happy to continue writing things out to talk to you until I pick anything up.

If you see a man with long white hair floating around, that's Ras Elclare, my close friend. He can't read (we're working on it), so if you need to talk to him, I can act as a go-between. We're rarely apart for long.

[lilyberation]

( oh, goodness. something about it reminds her of home... though, the last bit is very, very good to know. )

I appreciate it, and I hope to meet you properly upon my return!

And thank you for your help there as well. Though I'm not the only one there, I do run the clinic so I need to be sure I can communicate with everyone properly.

[bladeascent]

I'm easy enough to find. Look for the tall man with long black hair and the scar on his face.

[and not, y'know, the other tall man with SHORT black hair and a scar on his face. they are totally different guys.]

But enjoy the sea first. Hopefully it isn't too cold?

[lovelyredthread]

[ He's upset. He shouldn't be. He has to wrestle with this for a bit before anything is put to paper. ]

You're leaving?

[lilyberation]

Just for a week or so... And I'd be really happy if you came to visit me, too. It's just so I can recover away from everything.

[lovelyredthread]

[ He knows he's overreacting about this. Why does it feel so final? ]

Maybe... I doubt I'd be able to contribute much. I should probably keep away.

[jesterlies]

Ugh. I GUESS if anyone wants to learn sign, I could teach them, because I'm SO generous and benevolent or whatever.

[lovelyredthread]

I know a little bit, but I never got to learn all of it, and I'm kinda rusty...

[ He's embarrassed... ]

[jesterlies]

Lucky for you, that your adoring father is the most knowledgeable cookie in existence on the matter! We can brush you up EASY-PEASY!

[divinechains]

[ This is written in very fancy, cursive handwriting. Not Ras' own, of course, because he cannot write, but Vildred's. ]

Hello, this is Ras Elclare. If it truly is not any trouble, I would like to learn.

[jesterlies]

Already some takers? Good. I personally cannot stand that that wretch in the Forest thinks he's clever with what he took from her, so I'll happily do what I can to circumvent it.

[outofsynth]

It feels like it would be a good idea to learn now.

[jesterlies]

GOOD. I'll start sorting out a classroom, I expect max effort from everyone! Don't make me waste my time!

[bluebasketballed]

the forest god used your power against everyone? how exactly does that happen? [you know, just to be safe --

hi lily sorry for the introduction of immediately delving into your trauma.]

[lilyberation]

( handwriting she doesn't recognize... ah. )

Has anyone told you about corruption yet? If not, the fallen god can plant and infect bodies with bits of it's power, manifesting in the form of plants. He had corrupted me some months ago, but I had failed to notice as it laid dormant until very recently- instead of showing external signs, as he so loves to flaunt his power over others, it was almost entirely internal while he weakened my resolve through abuse.

Once I was where he wanted, he was able to puppet my body alongside his own power to cast a spell. This must have been native to this realm, for it wasn't anything I knew or recognized and I am... frankly one of the most learned there is about magic, second only to the creator of magic himself.

As I am essentially the Goddess of Freedom, he had a lot of magic to work with and was able to trap most of the town within a dream that would eventually drain them of their will, life and magic.

Those blessed by the young dragons in our care are immune to corruption, while the gargoyle, Zahliya, may purify you if you find yourself to be corrupted. The divine rain caused by the Cosmic Serpent's flights can also help!

[bluebasketballed]

so he can corrupt you, just like that, out of nowhere, and you might not even know? there's no way to avoid it besides baby dragon blessings?

obligatory apology

[tempurahair]

HELLO WHITE LILY COOKIE! ARE YOU ACTUALLY A COOKIE? HOW WONDERFUL!

I AM AFRAID I DON'T KNOW WHAT ANY OF THIS IS TALKING ABOUT, BUT I HOPE YOU ARE ALRIGHT. YOU SEEM VERY APOLOGETIC! I AM SURE WHATEVER HAPPENED IS NOT YOUR FAULT! THOUGH I MUST SAY, I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHAT YOU MEAN REGARDING RESURRECTION. AND MAGIC. AND TELEPATHY.

I AM NEW HERE :)

never be sorry i adore him

[lilyberation]

( ... squints. why is their writing so small? well, it's not really an issue... )

Yes. Pavlova Cookie, Shadow Milk Cookie, and the missing persons Clotted Cream Cookie, Sparkling Cookie, Timekeeper Cookie, Affogato Cookie, Pure Vanilla Cookie and Dark Cacao Cookie and I are from a realm where things you all may consider to be food or baked goods are sapient and alive. We're named for our ingredients or we take on names based on our roles in life.

We can circle back to this if you're curious later though!

Just before the turn of the seasons, the Forest used me and my own magic to trap everyone within a dangerous spell disguised as a sweet dream. To wake me from it and free everyone... I had to die.

While I implore that you remain cautious and careful regardless, death as we know it is impermanent here, though to my understanding the deity of death is very unhappy about that? Should one die outside of the forest's "games", they will manifest in a secret garden to heal and recover both body and soul... but to resurrect comes with a cost as well.

The forest stole my ability to hear, as my cost.

As for magic, I and many others are able to manipulate the elements and aether, conjure items or many other things! Magic is deeply versatile and a wonderful tool and school of learning to pursue. Telepathy is one such function, being able to transmit thoughts into another's head as a form of communication.

[tempurahair]

[Zoey told him he was writing too big once and he took it the exact wrong way. This man will now be responsible for the entire Grove needing to get glasses. Prepare to expand the clinic with an eye doctor accordingly.]

HOW FASCINATING! IT SEEMS OUT OF A STORY MY BROTHER MIGHT ENJOY! HAVE YOU HAD ISSUES ADJUSTING TO THIS WORLD? IT DOES NOT SEEM PARTICULARLY COOKIE FRIENDLY. THEN AGAIN, IT DOESN'T SEEM HUMAN FRIENDLY EITHER!

... I SUPPOSE I SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED THAT THIS PLACE CAN WIELD THAT SORT OF MAGIC. BEFORE MY ARRIVAL HERE, I WAS ALSO DEAD! I DO NOT KNOW IF IT TOOK A TOLL FROM ME, HOWEVER. WEAK THOUGH I FEEL, I SUSPECT THAT IS MORE TO THE NATURE OF MY MORTAL WOUNDS THAN ANYTHING ELSE!

THAT SAID, I AM TERRIBLY SORRY TO HEAR OF YOUR LOSS! IS THERE ANY WAY TO RECOVER AFTER IT OCCURS? I RUPTURED MY EAR DRUMS ONCE YOU KNOW! BUT I CAN HEAR AGAIN! PERHAPS THERE IS HOPE FOR YOU!

THE ONLY MAGIC I AM FAMILIAR WITH IS THAT WHICH MY OWN BREATHING CONJURES UP. THAT AND BLOOD DEMON ARTS. IT IS INTERESTING TO KNOW THAT MAGIC CAN EXIST OUTSIDE OF THOSE! I AM LEARNING VERY MUCH! THANK YOU, MISS LILY!