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

[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...]

[dismemberthename]

I'm not in the mood.

[voreaciously]

[well...she expected as much.]

...Should I rescind my invitation, then?

["invitation" like she wasn't a mess and halfway begging, but ok sure.]

I do not wish to make you uncomfortable.

[dismemberthename]

[well if she must be forced to clarify.]

I'm not in the mood to tear you a new one right now.

[voreaciously]

I see. In your own time, then. I shall not press the issue.

[yeah, boy, there's gonna be a reckoning.]

...Did you have any questions at all?

[dismemberthename]

Later.

[and now it's khuurcling time again.]

[voreaciously]

Mm...

[she rests their forehead against theirs]

If you are ever hungry for regular food or...[y'know] please inform me, i have plenty of sparks to buy whatever you need until you are more settled.

[dismemberthename]

...Okay. I don't wanna be a burden...

[but all three of them know the circumstances here]

i hate how excited i was to see this in my inbox

[voreaciously]

[She hesitates a moment before she kisses their forehead, tenderly.]

It is fine. It is the least I can do.

slow poke sparkling emoji

[dismemberthename]

[aaaaaaaa]

M'feelin' pampered already.

a tree is never slow she arrives precisely when she means to!

[voreaciously]

...I am sorry again, for that display.

[she has a long way to go to making it up to them.]

...Were you hungry? I will make anything you like if I am able.

(unsure)

[dismemberthename]

[always. just so endlessly hungry all the fucking time. but.

shakes his head.]

Nah. I just wanna hold you.

8D

[voreaciously]

Khuur-han...

[she sounds concerned, but hesitantly so. Like she hasn't the right.

She probably doesn't.]

If you let me feed you, you can hold me for as long as you like after.

[this doesn't sound like a good deal at all, she feels...repellant, but he says that's what he wants and morin is telling her to let him have it, so...]

Ah, I have a nice new bath, too.