auroraexpress | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: you??
When: Day 48, evening and night
Where: the library and beyond

[As sun sets today, everyone will receive a message on their Chain:

☆: Good Evening my precious, charming heroes!
☆: It's been awhile since we had a party, so I was thinking you guys could use a pick-me-up.
☆: If you're interested, come down to the library ♥

Should you take the suggestion, you'll find the library has been decked out in fairy lights, with pink glittery star-shaped decorations all around. In the hallway are tables with trays of fruit tarts and fizzy drinks, and there's cheerful electronic music playing over the intercom.

In the center of the library, there's a new hexagonal bookshelf, accessible from every angle. It spins, allowing passengers to browse without bumping eachother around, and on it are a new collection of books. Some you might recognize from home -- if you ever wrote a book yourself, or had one written about you, it's here. Everything from formal biographies to grade school story projects has been brought in, in a delightfully embarrassing celebration of the passengers.

And if that wasn't enough to make you blush, there's also a slew of new books about you... The trains Heroes have been written in to a variety of fairy tales. In one story, you may find yourself a knight on a white horse rescuing your teammate and riding off into the sunset. In another you're a fairy godmother. You may even be a witch or a dragon! Given enough time, you'll probably find a story that puts you in just about every role, in a cast with just about every other passenger, teammate or no.

Be careful, though -- at random chance, reading a story about yourself might make you feel like acting out that role in real life! Those effected by this will consider other characters from that story to be their roles as well -- if your teammate was your Prince Charming in the story, you'll think they are in real life! All in a harmless, bond-promoting way, of course. This effect will wear off after an hour or so, and one character can be afflicted multiple times.

Will you get lovingly teased by over-the-top fanfiction? Probably. Will the library be covered in glitter forever? Definitely. Is it worth it...?

Well. Prince Cardamom thinks so. He's also joined in for the night, and will gladly play out stories with you, or face your ire. Enjoy the party!]

[[OOC: There's a prince toplevel here, though as always threads are subject to mod energy levels. If you'd like to handwave your character asking questions/etc, please feel free to poke Cleo#9893 @ discord and I'll work out what kind of information you might get! Thank you!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Please remove anything having to do with "Kawanokami" from the library. It does not need to be here.

[granted there are some excellent, informative texts on certain thins but nah. don't need 'em]

Eeeh? But isn't the point of this whole thing to get closer to people? You can't if you hide your past.

[she says it again]

It does not need to be here. No one need know anything about that. How is reading about or being forced to share secrets supposed to engender trust or camaraderie?

How many close bonds have you made by staying closed off?

[-9001]

Enough.

[sigh]

Y'know, if you let people get to know you, you might find out they like you.

With respect, I am not remotely likable and you never answered my question properly. Are you aware of how terrible it is to be made to share things we do not wish to about ourselves? How does that help?

That was my answer. I know it's hard, but we don't have the luxury of hiding because it's easier. Once you get through that pain, it'll be made up for by love!

Besides, I think you're likable. ♥

[yeah, well, she is going to continue to hide because that is what she does best.]

I do not need love and you do not know the first thing about me.

Everyone needs love. As for knowing about you... why don't you tell me?

Not everyone does. I said I do not. [you glimmerous fop]

There's nothing to tell. I am a tool. That is all.

The fact that you can even say that proves you need it.

[how dare--]

Who are you to tell me what I need? I am happy the way I am! I like being used!

You have feelings, so there's no way it really makes you happy. Are you sure you're not just hurt, or scared? I can understand if that's the case.

[hey

shut the f]

What do I possibly have to be scared of? I am not hurt, either.

[very calmly, very coldly]

I grow weary of being told what is good for me and what is not. Being used affords me purpose. That aside, are you not using us all for your own ends?

Yeah, I am. But it's a necessary evil, not something I like doing. People don't exist to be used. We all have "purpose" just by existing. By impacting the other people around us. If you don't think that applies to you, it's got to be because you've either never had meaningful connections, or something bad happened when you did.

The only thing terrible that happened to me was--

[she bites down on her lip, doesn't finish what she was about to say and she half wonders why? it's the truth.

she is growing angry. it's quiet, but it's there, and so she stops, she grows neutral, more rational. Polite.

This is royalty, after all.]

Do pardon me. His Highness, however, is under a mistaken impression: I am not a person. I have never been one, so it is fine. The rest of that is, frankly, lost on or does not apply to me, though I would humbly caution you on your naivete. There have always been those who use and those who are used, whether they like it or not ultimately matters not.

In light of that, I suppose I should not argue with my current lot. It is why I exist. To serve.

[He watches her face for a moment, quiet. Stands. At his full height and with a serious face he may look a little more regal than usual, but he's not being commanding. He's just gently going in for a hug.]

[she's kind of

shocked still]

W-What are you doing?

[Hugging! Not too tight, just soothing, and patting her head.]

You're right that I don't know much about you, but I know that whatever you think you are, however you were born, you have a soul. That makes you a person.

It's okay to be upset. It's okay to resent me, or this whole situation. But I think it must be lonely, telling yourself you should be alone.

[she should push him away! She should--! she wants to throw him against a wall. she wants to see him bleed.

But he's royalty. He's royalty and that is why she behaves.]

My soul is rotten through and through, and that is not hyperbole, by the way. You chose very poorly--I might eat you, you know.

I am fine on my own, I always have been. Humans may be social creatures, but I am neither.

You don't have to be human to matter.

[Her voice grows very pointed.]

I do not matter!

['You really have no idea, do you?'

'....Of what?'

'How much you matter.'

She stiffens suddenly.]

I do not, so do not lie to me!

[It feels...a little chilly suddenly and she feels very cold.]

You matter to me. Even if I don't know you.

[He's still petting her! She hasn't pushed him away yet, after all.]

If you weren't a person, you wouldn't be so sad right now.

That is pitiful. Naive. Irresponsible. You do not know me, so how can I matter to you? If you mean as a means to an end, that is sensible, but as any else? Do not even imply as such. That is a lie.

[it seems rude to push away!!

because everything she's saying is so polite.]

I am not sad. I am fine! I am fine. I am fine, I have always been fine!

[she's fine even if katsuki isn't--]

I am...fi...