Newbies + Monthly Prompts!

[trainmasters]

Who: Everyone
When: Day 47, morning
Where: the Aurora

[It's that time again: this morning, you're awoken by the jingle associated with an official message from your Chain -- the usual "newbie time" balloon animation and text:]

WELCOME NEW HEROES

[This round's newbies are waking up in their rooms, in the usual nondescript undies or team pyjamas.

Outside, the cold snap has broken. It's back to jungle warmth, though the sudden change in temperature appears to have caused a thick fog. So thick, in fact, that you can't see more than a few feet in front of you -- and it doesn't burn off with the daylight.

For the next few days, Origin Star will be lost in the mist, and should you venture too far, you may be too. Because out there in the humid dim are willow-the-wisps, faint lights in the fog that will lead you to perilous terrain or into the jaws of beasts.

Sometimes, you may also hear a voice -- a distant song from across the sea, in the direction of the corrupted island. If you get too close, long and spindly arms will reach out of the water and pull you down, for a kiss from a scaly human-like being that sucks all the emotion out of you and leaves you feeling hollow and lacking empathy for others. The cure is time -- you'll be better in a day or so, but you can speed it up by basking in the warm feelings of others.]

[[OOC NOTES: As the monthly prompts, the fog and mermaids will continue until next month's placements. If you have any questions, please ping the mods via the q&a. Thank you!]]

Comments

2/2 asshole

[voreaciously]

[Her eyes remain unseen, but her lips begin to tremble and she keens low in her throat, and then everything simply gives out.

She loudly falls to her knees and is already crying, palms pressed against clothed eyes and shoulders shaking.]

I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry--

[she chokes miserably out between sobs.]

1/2 ilu

[dismemberthename]

[recordscratch???]

2/3 i lied

[dismemberthename]

[TACKLES. BODILY. aiming for hug but like, just wanting All touch, yes, hello, hi.]

3/3 ✨

[dismemberthename]

Shhh, shhh. S'fine. We forgive you.

[soft pettings and cuddles for amane]

[voreaciously]

[When they hug her she freezes up.

why would they touch her?

after everything she's done? after everything--

but she's weak, a coward, selfish, and she clings to them immediately.]

P-please d-do not go, I-I did not--

[she's stuttering and hiccuping and just a mess. She is all but wailing and wetness smears her face.]

[dismemberthename]

[there is SO much touch and rubbing their face on her possessively.]

We're here. We aren't going anywhere. Shh, love, don't fear.

[voreaciously]

[she is just going to cry for a while longer. Some people are pretty when they cry. Sometimes 80H is.

She isn't now.

but time passes and she begins to calm down, yet self-loathing rings clear and ugly in her voice.]

Disgusting, unseemly. P-please pardon me.

[dismemberthename]

Don't care. Be as disgusting and unseemly as you can, you won't scare us off. We're no better.

[voreaciously]

[she's angry suddenly, but it is clearly at herself.]

Yes, you are! You always have been better!

[she's rubbing her eyes but that does nothing, the tears still come and she just--gives up and undoes down her blindfold to do it properly.

Her eyes are so afraid, so ashamed, so loving.]

[dismemberthename]

Ahh...

[reaching to wipe away her tears themselves, now that she's revealed her face.]

We can let you believe that, if it will help you stay.

[voreaciously]

[she does not stop them, but she lays her hand on theirs, simply to feel them.]

There is no "believing", stupid.

[she shakes her head gently.]

No, that is me. I did not...I never wanted you to go and then you were and I was...angry. I was angry and it was not even your fault.

[fresh tears begin to fall and she groans, overcome by her own foolishness.]

But then you--[and everyone else]--were gone again and I--

[she lets her own hand fall and she simply lets her head fall into their lap. staying upright is more than she can do. it's a wonder she managed as long as she has with no spine.]

[dismemberthename]

[oh. well. strokes her hair gently with their rough hands.]

We're no good. But we're stubborn. And we haven't given up on you yet. Not gonna start now.

[voreaciously]

[ahhh, it's been so, so long. she just. trembles, but it's not that she rejects their touch, but thought she wouldn't...]

I do not care. You are not the worst person, but even if you were...that does not matter to me. You have always been there for everyone when you could be. Both of you.

[she just doesn't want them to go. how did it take her so long to realise it?]

...will you come with me? Later. [she adds very quickly, her voice fragile] You don't--you do not have to if you do not wish to, but there is room in mine and it is safe and...

[she trails off, feeling like a desperate idiot. because she is a desperate idiot.]

[dismemberthename]

[hmmm yeah they're just not gonna internalize that at all.]

I will.

[gently but firmly.]

Wherever, whenever.

[voreaciously]

[she reaches for their free hand, to hold.]

Please do not tell me that, I will never wish for you to go, in that case.

[it would be funny if it were not so true.]

...I thought about you every day. Every day.

[and how she made such mistakes.]

No, this is not right, you cannot forgive me so easily after everything.

[dismemberthename]

[holds her hand tightly!!]

All we wanted was for you to put up with me. You're doing that now, so we don't care what happened. I don't care.

[morin kind of cares but she can hold back on that for now.]

[voreaciously]

[That sounds disjointed and she has to wonder if, yeah, Morin cares.

...well, it is what she deserves. she'll take her licks when they come.

but that makes her upset and she sits up to look at them, still holding their hand]

You should care! You are worth so very much! But, I did not put up with you. [she sounds a little exasperated, and yet very strangely patient, like she has had this conversation a million times before and expect to have it a million times more and has made her peace with that fact.]

I cannot endure someone that I...care about. Whatever good that has done me.

[she still treated them horribly, so what right does she have to say that, honestly?]

[dismemberthename]

[hjelp

help morin isn't helping and khuur is fucking stupid]

...Are you saying you can't tolerate the people you like?

[voreaciously]

No, I mean to say that I do not "put up" with someone I care about. Whatever their foibles, they are not a burden to me.

[dismemberthename]

[tucks his face against her shoulder, gripping her hand a little too hard.]

Okay. Okay, sorry, I. Took it wrong.

[voreaciously]

[she holds that hand with both of hers]

You do not have to apologise. I was awful to you, it would make sense that that was the conclusion you came to.

[this seems uneven, though, she's realising. after what she's done, they're accommodating her so quickly, so easily. she is having her needs seen to, but that isn't right.]

...What do you want from me? Anything I can give you is yours. I promise.

[dismemberthename]

I just... want this?

[lifts their held hands.]

[voreaciously]

...You are letting me off far too easily. I cannot be the only one to think that.

[dismemberthename]

Let him have this, idiot.

[voreaciously]

Hello, Morin-han. That is not...my issue. If that is what is wanted, then that is fine by me.

[but...]